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Kelley LK, Lightfoot SHM, Hill MN, Middleton JW, Gilpin NW. THC Vapor Inhalation Attenuates Hyperalgesia in Rats Using a Chronic Inflammatory Pain Model. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2024:104649. [PMID: 39121915 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2024.104649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2024] [Revised: 08/01/2024] [Accepted: 08/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Humans use cannabinoid drugs to alleviate pain. As cannabis and cannabinoids are legalized in the United States for medicinal and recreational use, it has become critical to determine the potential utilities and harms of cannabinoid drugs in individuals living with chronic pain. Here, we tested the effects of repeated ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) vapor inhalation on thermal nociception and mechanical sensitivity, in adult male and female Wistar rats using a chronic inflammatory pain model (ie, treated with complete Freund's adjuvant [CFA]). We report that repeated THC vapor inhalation rescues thermal hyperalgesia in males and females treated with CFA and also reduces mechanical hypersensitivity in CFA males but not females. Many of the antihyperalgesic effects of chronic THC vapor were still observable 24 hours after cessation of the last THC exposure. We also report plasma levels of THC and its major metabolites, some of which are cannabinoid type-1 receptor agonists, after the first and tenth days of THC vapor inhalation. Finally, we report that systemic administration of the cannabinoid type-1 receptor inverse agonist AM251 (1 mg/kg, I.P.) blocks the antihyperalgesic effects of THC vapor in males and females. These data provide a foundation for future work that will explore the cells and circuits underlying the antihyperalgesic effects of THC vapor inhalation in individuals with chronic inflammatory pain. PERSPECTIVE: Cannabinoids are thought to have potential utility in the treatment of chronic pain, but few animal studies have tested the effects of chronic THC or cannabis in animal models of chronic pain. We tested the effects of repeated THC vapor inhalation on chronic pain-related outcomes in male and female animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leslie K Kelley
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Alcohol and Drug of Abuse Center of Excellence, LSUHSC, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Savannah H M Lightfoot
- Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Psychiatry, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy and Psychiatry, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Jason W Middleton
- Alcohol and Drug of Abuse Center of Excellence, LSUHSC, New Orleans, Louisiana; Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Southeast Louisiana VA Healthcare System, New Orleans, Louisiana
| | - Nicholas W Gilpin
- Department of Physiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Alcohol and Drug of Abuse Center of Excellence, LSUHSC, New Orleans, Louisiana; Neuroscience Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Science Center, New Orleans, Louisiana; Southeast Louisiana VA Healthcare System, New Orleans, Louisiana.
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Wang W, Zheng WQ, Du X, Chen SC, Chen YH, Ma QY, Wang H, Gao S, Tan R, Zhang HT, Zhou YM, Zhang FF. Chronic pain exacerbates memory impairment and pathology of Aβ and tau by upregulating IL-1β and p-65 signaling in a mouse model of Alzheimer's disease. Brain Res 2024; 1832:148843. [PMID: 38430996 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainres.2024.148843] [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: 12/14/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic pain is linked to cognitive impairment; however, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. In the present study, we examined these mechanisms in a well-established mouse model of Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS Neuropathic pain was modeled in 5-month-old transgenic APPswe/PS1dE9 (APP/PS1) mice by partial ligation of the sciatic nerve on the left side, and chronic inflammatory pain was modeled in another group of APP/PS1 mice by injecting them with complete Freund's adjuvant on the plantar surface of the left hind paw. Six weeks after molding, the animals were tested to assess pain threshold (von Frey filament), learning, memory (novel object recognition, Morris water maze, Y-maze, and passive avoidance), and depression-like symptoms (sucrose preference, tail suspension, and forced swimming). After behavioral testing, mice were sacrificed and the levels of p65, amyloid-β (residues 1-42) and phospho-tau in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex were assayed using western blotting, while interleukin (IL)-1β levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS Animals subjected to either type of chronic pain showed lower pain thresholds, more severe deficits in learning and memory, and stronger depression-like symptoms than the corresponding control animals. Either type of chronic pain was associated with upregulation of p65, amyloid-β (1-42), and IL-1β in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, as well as higher levels of phosphorylated tau. CONCLUSIONS Chronic pain may exacerbate cognitive deficits and depression-like symptoms in APP/PS1 mice by worsening pathology related to amyloid-β and tau and by upregulating signaling involving IL-1β and p65.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China
| | - Wen-Qing Zheng
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China; Department of Pharmacy, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Shandong First Medical University, Tai'an, China
| | - Xian Du
- Tai'an Municipal Hospital, Tai'an, China
| | - Shi-Cai Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China
| | - Yan-Han Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China
| | - Qing-Yang Ma
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China
| | - Shan Gao
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China
| | - Rui Tan
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China
| | - Han-Ting Zhang
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China
| | - Yan-Meng Zhou
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China.
| | - Fang-Fang Zhang
- Institute of Pharmacology, Pharmacy College, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Academy of Medical Sciences, Ji'nan, China.
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3
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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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Sokolaj E, Assareh N, Anderson K, Aubrey KR, Vaughan CW. Cannabis constituents for chronic neuropathic pain; reconciling the clinical and animal evidence. J Neurochem 2023. [PMID: 37747128 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15964] [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] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023]
Abstract
Chronic neuropathic pain is a debilitating pain syndrome caused by damage to the nervous system that is poorly served by current medications. Given these problems, clinical studies have pursued extracts of the plant Cannabis sativa as alternative treatments for this condition. The vast majority of these studies have examined cannabinoids which contain the psychoactive constituent delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). While there have been some positive findings, meta-analyses of this clinical work indicates that this effectiveness is limited and hampered by side-effects. This review focuses on how recent preclinical studies have predicted the clinical limitations of THC-containing cannabis extracts, and importantly, point to how they might be improved. This work highlights the importance of targeting channels and receptors other than cannabinoid CB1 receptors which mediate many of the side-effects of cannabis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eddy Sokolaj
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Neda Assareh
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Kristen Anderson
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Karin R Aubrey
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Christopher W Vaughan
- Pain Management Research Institute, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Clinical School, Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
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5
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Alegre-Zurano L, García-Baos A, Castro-Zavala A, Medrano M, Gallego-Landin I, Valverde O. The FAAH inhibitor URB597 reduces cocaine intake during conditioned punishment and mitigates cocaine seeking during withdrawal. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:115194. [PMID: 37499453 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115194] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system is prominently implicated in the control of cocaine reinforcement due to its relevant role in synaptic plasticity and neurotransmitter modulation in the mesocorticolimbic system. The inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), and the resulting increase in anandamide and other N-acylethanolamines, represents a promising strategy for reducing drug seeking. In the present study, we aimed to assess the effects of the FAAH inhibitor URB597 (1 mg/kg) on crucial features of cocaine addictive-like behaviour in mice. Therefore, we tested the effects of URB597 on acquisition of cocaine (0.6 mg/kg/inf) self-administration, compulsive-like cocaine intake and cue-induced drug-seeking behaviour during withdrawal. URB597 reduced cocaine intake under conditioned punishment while having no impact on acquisition. This result was associated to increased cannabinoid receptor 1 gene expression in the ventral striatum and medium spiny neurons activation in the nucleus accumbens shell. Moreover, URB597 mitigated cue-induced drug-seeking behaviour during prolonged abstinence and prevented the withdrawal-induced increase in FAAH gene expression in the ventral striatum. In this case, URB597 decreased activation of medium spiny neurons in the nucleus accumbens core. Our findings evidence the prominent role of endocannabinoids in the development of cocaine addictive-like behaviours and support the potential of FAAH inhibition as a therapeutical target for the treatment of cocaine addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laia Alegre-Zurano
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alba García-Baos
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital Del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Adriana Castro-Zavala
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mireia Medrano
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ines Gallego-Landin
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Olga Valverde
- Neurobiology of Behaviour Research Group (GReNeC-NeuroBio), Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona, Spain; Neuroscience Research Program, IMIM-Hospital Del Mar Research Institute, Barcelona, Spain.
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6
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Chen I, Murdaugh LB, Miliano C, Dong Y, Gregus AM, Buczynski MW. NAPE-PLD regulates specific baseline affective behaviors but is dispensable for inflammatory hyperalgesia. NEUROBIOLOGY OF PAIN (CAMBRIDGE, MASS.) 2023; 14:100135. [PMID: 38099275 PMCID: PMC10719515 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynpai.2023.100135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/17/2023]
Abstract
N-acyl-ethanolamine (NAEs) serve as key endogenous lipid mediators as revealed by manipulation of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the primary enzyme responsible for metabolizing NAEs. Preclinical studies focused on FAAH or NAE receptors indicate an important role for NAE signaling in nociception and affective behaviors. However, there is limited information on the role of NAE biosynthesis in these same behavioral paradigms. Biosynthesis of NAEs has been attributed largely to the enzyme N-acylphosphatidylethanolamine Phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD), one of three pathways capable of producing these bioactive lipids in the brain. In this report, we demonstrate that Nape-pld knockout (KO) mice displayed reduced sucrose preference and consumption, but other baseline anxiety-like or depression-like behaviors were unaltered. Additionally, we observed sex-dependent responses in thermal nociception and other baseline measures in wildtype (WT) mice that were absent in Nape-pld KO mice. In the Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) model of inflammatory arthritis, WT mice exhibited sex-dependent changes in paw edema that were lost in Nape-pld KO mice. However, there was no effect of Nape-pld deletion on arthritic pain-like behaviors (grip force deficit and tactile allodynia) in either sex, indicating that while NAPE-PLD may alter local inflammation, it does not contribute to pain-like behaviors associated with inflammatory arthritis. Collectively, these findings indicate that chronic and systemic NAPE-PLD inactivation will likely be well-tolerated, warranting further pharmacological evaluation of this target in other disease indications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Chen
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Laura B. Murdaugh
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Translational Biology, Medicine, and Health, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Cristina Miliano
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Yuyang Dong
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Ann M. Gregus
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
| | - Matthew W. Buczynski
- School of Neuroscience, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, USA
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7
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Greco R, Francavilla M, Demartini C, Zanaboni AM, Facchetti S, Palmisani M, Franco V, Tassorelli C. Activity of FAAH-Inhibitor JZP327A in an Experimental Rat Model of Migraine. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10102. [PMID: 37373250 PMCID: PMC10299064 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210102] [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: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Increased anandamide levels via fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibition can decrease the pronociceptive responses and inflammatory mediators in animal models of migraine. Here, we profile the pharmacological activity of the FAAH inhibitor JZP327A, a chiral 1,3,4-oxadiazol-2(3H)-one compound, in the mediation of spontaneous and nocifensive behaviour in the animal models of migraine based on nitroglycerin (NTG) administration. JZP327A (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) or vehicle was administered to male rats 3 h after NTG (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or NTG vehicle injection. The rats were then exposed to the open field test and an orofacial formalin test 1 h later. The levels of endocannabinoids and lipid-related substances, and the expression of pain and inflammatory mediators were evaluated in cranial tissues and serum. The findings show that JZP327A did not affect NTG-induced changes in the spontaneous behaviour of rats, while it inhibited NTG-induced hyperalgesia at the orofacial formalin test. Furthermore, JZP327A dramatically decreased the gene expression of calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) and interleukin 6 (IL-6) in the trigeminal ganglia and medulla-pons, while it did not change endocannabinoids or lipids levels nor CGRP serum levels in the same tissues. These data suggest an anti-hyperalgesic role for JZP327A in the NTG model, which is mediated by the inhibition of the inflammatory cascade of events. This activity does not seem mediated by a change in the levels of endocannabinoids and lipid amides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosaria Greco
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.F.); (C.D.); (A.M.Z.); (S.F.); (M.P.); (V.F.); (C.T.)
| | - Miriam Francavilla
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.F.); (C.D.); (A.M.Z.); (S.F.); (M.P.); (V.F.); (C.T.)
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Chiara Demartini
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.F.); (C.D.); (A.M.Z.); (S.F.); (M.P.); (V.F.); (C.T.)
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Zanaboni
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.F.); (C.D.); (A.M.Z.); (S.F.); (M.P.); (V.F.); (C.T.)
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Sara Facchetti
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.F.); (C.D.); (A.M.Z.); (S.F.); (M.P.); (V.F.); (C.T.)
| | - Michela Palmisani
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.F.); (C.D.); (A.M.Z.); (S.F.); (M.P.); (V.F.); (C.T.)
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9/A, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Valentina Franco
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.F.); (C.D.); (A.M.Z.); (S.F.); (M.P.); (V.F.); (C.T.)
- Clinical and Experimental Pharmacology Unit, Department of Internal Medicine and Therapeutics, University of Pavia, Via Ferrata 9/A, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Cristina Tassorelli
- Section of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Via Mondino 2, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (M.F.); (C.D.); (A.M.Z.); (S.F.); (M.P.); (V.F.); (C.T.)
- Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Via Bassi 21, 27100 Pavia, Italy
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Lazzarotto Rebelatto ER, Rauber GS, Caon T. An update of nano-based drug delivery systems for cannabinoids: Biopharmaceutical aspects & therapeutic applications. Int J Pharm 2023; 635:122727. [PMID: 36803924 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.122727] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2022] [Revised: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023]
Abstract
Nanotechnology has been widely used to improve stability, efficacy, release control and biopharmaceutical aspects of natural and synthetic cannabinoids. In this review, the main types of cannabinoid-based nanoparticles (NPs) reported so far are addressed, taking into account the advantages and disadvantages of each system. Formulation, preclinical and clinical studies performed with colloidal carriers were individually analyzed. Lipid-based nanocarriers have been recognized for their high biocompatibility and ability to improve both solubility and bioavailability. Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-loaded lipid systems designed to treat glaucoma, for example, showed superior in vivo efficacy in comparison to market formulations. The analyzed studies have shown that product performance can be modulated by varying particle size and composition. In the case of self-nano-emulsifying drug delivery systems, the reduced particle size shortens the time to reach high plasma concentrations while the incorporation of metabolism inhibitors extends the plasma circulation time. The use of long alkyl chain lipids in NP formulations, in turn, is strategized to achieve intestinal lymphatic absorption. Polymer NPs have been prioritized when a sustained or site-specific cannabinoid release is desirable (e.g., CNS-affecting diseases/cancer). The functionalization of the surface of polymer NPs makes their action even more selective whereas surface charge modulation is highlighted to provide mucoadhesion. The present study identified promising systems for targeted applications, making the process of optimizing new formulations more effective and faster. Although NPs have shown a promising role in the treatment of several difficult-to-treat diseases, more translational studies should be performed to confirm the benefits reported here.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gabriela Schneider Rauber
- Department of Applied Science and Technology (DISAT), Politecnico di Torino, Corso Duca degli Abruzzi 24, 10129 Torino, Italy
| | - Thiago Caon
- Postgraduate Program in Pharmacy (PGFAR), Federal University of Santa Catarina Trindade, Florianopolis 88040-900, Brazil.
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Expression and Kinetics of Endogenous Cannabinoids in the Brain and Spinal Cord of a Spare Nerve Injury (SNI) Model of Neuropathic Pain. Cells 2022; 11:cells11244130. [PMID: 36552893 PMCID: PMC9776457 DOI: 10.3390/cells11244130] [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: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of endogenous cannabinoids in neuropathic pain has been actively studied, among which 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) has received the most attention. However, owing to its chemical properties, direct detection of 2-AG distribution in tissues is difficult. Moreover, although desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) has enabled the detection of 2-AG, its distribution in the brain and spinal cord of neuropathic pain models has not been reported. In this study, the expression and distribution of 2-AG in the brain and spinal cord of a spare nerve injury (SNI) mice model of neuropathic pain was examined using DESI-MSI. The brain and lumbar spinal cord were collected and analyzed on days 3, 7, and 21 after treatment. On days 3 and 7 after treatment, 2-AG expression in the SNI model was decreased in the hypothalamus, midbrain, and especially in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) region but increased in the lumbar spinal cord. On day 21, the SNI model showed decreased 2-AG expression in the hypothalamus, but the difference from the control was not significant. Furthermore, there were no differences in 2-AG expression between the lumbar spinal cord, midbrain, or PAG. These data suggest that 2-AG might be involved in pain control.
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Richardson B, MacPherson A, Bambico F. Neuroinflammation and neuroprogression in depression: Effects of alternative drug treatments. Brain Behav Immun Health 2022; 26:100554. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbih.2022.100554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Revised: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
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11
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Greco R, Demartini C, Zanaboni AM, Francavilla M, Reggiani A, Realini N, Scarpelli R, Piomelli D, Tassorelli C. Potentiation of endocannabinoids and other lipid amides prevents hyperalgesia and inflammation in a pre-clinical model of migraine. J Headache Pain 2022; 23:79. [PMID: 35799128 PMCID: PMC9264488 DOI: 10.1186/s10194-022-01449-1] [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: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is a promising therapeutic strategy to combat certain forms of pain, including migraine headache. FAAH inhibitors, such as the O-biphenyl-3-yl carbamate URB597, have been shown to produce anti-hyperalgesic effects in animal models of migraine. The objective of this study was to investigate the behavioral and biochemical effects of compounds ARN14633 and ARN14280, two URB597 analogs with improved solubility and bioavailability, in a migraine-specific rat model in which trigeminal hyperalgesia is induced by nitroglycerin (NTG) administration. ARN14633 (1 mg/kg, i.p.) and ARN14280 (3 mg/kg, i.p.) were administered to adult male Sprague-Dawley rats 3 hours after NTG injection. One hour after the administration of either compound, rats were subjected to the orofacial formalin test. ARN14633 and ARN14280 attenuated NTG-induced nocifensive behavior and reduced transcription of genes encoding neuronal nitric oxide synthase, pain mediators peptides (calcitonin gene-related peptide, substance P) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, interleukin-1beta and 6) in the trigeminal ganglion, cervical spinal cord and medulla. Finally, both compounds strongly elevated levels of endocannabinoids and/or other FAAH substrates in cervical spinal cord and medulla, and, to a lesser extent, in the trigeminal ganglia. The results indicate that the novel global FAAH inhibitors ARN14633 and ARN14280 elicit significant anti-hyperalgesic effects in a migraine-specific animal model and inhibit the associated peptidergic-inflammatory response. Although the precise mechanism underlying these effects remains to be elucidated, our results support further investigational studies of FAAH blockade as a potential therapeutic strategy to treat migraine conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosaria Greco
- Unit of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.
| | - Chiara Demartini
- Unit of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Zanaboni
- Unit of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Miriam Francavilla
- Unit of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Angelo Reggiani
- Drug Discovery and Development (D3)-Validation, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Natalia Realini
- Drug Discovery and Development (D3)-Validation, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Rita Scarpelli
- Drug Discovery and Development (D3)-Validation, Fondazione Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genoa, Italy
| | - Daniele Piomelli
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Cristina Tassorelli
- Unit of Translational Neurovascular Research, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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12
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Wu M, Di Y, Diao Z, Yan C, Cheng Q, Huang H, Liu Y, Wei C, Zheng Q, Fan J, Han J, Liu Z, Tian Y, Duan H, Ren W, Sun Z. Acute cannabinoids impair association learning via selectively enhancing synaptic transmission in striatonigral neurons. BMC Biol 2022; 20:108. [PMID: 35550070 PMCID: PMC9102575 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01307-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Cannabinoids and their derivatives attract strong interest due to the tremendous potential of their psychoactive effects for treating psychiatric disorders and symptoms. However, their clinical application is restricted by various side-effects such as impaired coordination, anxiety, and learning and memory disability. Adverse impact on dorsal striatum-dependent learning is an important side-effect of cannabinoids. As one of the most important forms of learning mediated by the dorsal striatum, reinforcement learning is characterized by an initial association learning phase, followed by habit learning. While the effects of cannabinoids on habit learning have been well-studied, little is known about how cannabinoids influence the initial phase of reinforcement learning. Results We found that acute activation of cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) by the synthetic cannabinoid HU210 induced dose-dependent impairment of association learning, which could be alleviated by intra-dorsomedial striatum (DMS) injection of CB1R antagonist. Moreover, acute exposure to HU210 elicited enhanced synaptic transmission in striatonigral “direct” pathway medium spiny neurons (MSNs) but not indirect pathway neurons in DMS. Intriguingly, enhancement of synaptic transmission that is also observed after learning was abolished by HU210, indicating cannabinoid system might disrupt reinforcement learning by confounding synaptic plasticity normally required for learning. Remarkably, the impaired response-reinforcer learning was also induced by selectively enhancing the D1-MSN (MSN that selectively expresses the dopamine receptor type 1) activity by virally expressing excitatory hM3Dq DREADD (designer receptor exclusively activated by a designer drug), which could be rescued by specifically silencing the D1-MSN activity via hM4Di DREADD. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate dose-dependent deleterious effects of cannabinoids on association learning by disrupting plasticity change required for learning associated with the striatal direct pathway, which furthers our understanding of the side-effects of cannabinoids and the underlying mechanisms. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01307-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meilin Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Yuanyuan Di
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Zhijun Diao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Chuanting Yan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Qiangqiang Cheng
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Huan Huang
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Yingxun Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Chunling Wei
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Qiaohua Zheng
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Juan Fan
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Jing Han
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Zhiqiang Liu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Yingfang Tian
- College of Life Sciences, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Haijun Duan
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China
| | - Wei Ren
- MOE Key Laboratory of Modern Teaching Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China. .,School of Education, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
| | - Zongpeng Sun
- School of Psychology, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, 710062, China.
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13
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Gur Maz T, Turanlı S, Caliskan HB, Çalışkan B, Banoglu E. Development and molecular modeling studies of new thiadiazole piperazine urea derivatives as potential fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2022; 355:e2200082. [PMID: 35500130 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202200082] [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: 02/14/2022] [Revised: 04/01/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
A series of novel piperazine urea derivatives with thiadiazole moieties were designed, synthesized, and investigated for their inhibition potential against human fatty acid amide hydrolase (hFAAH). The urea derivatives possessing p-chlorophenylthiadiazole and benzylpiperazine fragments (19-22) were effective inhibitors of hFAAH. Notably, compounds with 4-chlorobenzyl (19) and 4-fluorobenzyl (20) tails at the piperazine side were identified as the most active inhibitors with IC50 values of 0.13 and 0.22 µM, respectively. The preincubation test of 19 was in agreement with the irreversible binding mechanism. Molecular docking was performed to explore the potential binding interactions with key amino acid residues at the FAAH active site. These newly identified inhibitors could serve as leads for the further development of potent and selective FAAH inhibitors for FAAH-associated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tugce Gur Maz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Sumeyye Turanlı
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | | | - Burcu Çalışkan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Erden Banoglu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Gazi University, Ankara, Turkey
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14
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Inhibiting Endocannabinoid Hydrolysis as Emerging Analgesic Strategy Targeting a Spectrum of Ion Channels Implicated in Migraine Pain. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23084407. [PMID: 35457225 PMCID: PMC9027089 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23084407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2022] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Migraine is a disabling neurovascular disorder characterized by severe pain with still limited efficient treatments. Endocannabinoids, the endogenous painkillers, emerged, alternative to plant cannabis, as promising analgesics against migraine pain. In this thematic review, we discuss how inhibition of the main endocannabinoid-degrading enzymes, monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), could raise the level of endocannabinoids (endoCBs) such as 2-AG and anandamide in order to alleviate migraine pain. We describe here: (i) migraine pain signaling pathways, which could serve as specific targets for antinociception; (ii) a divergent distribution of MAGL and FAAH activities in the key regions of the PNS and CNS implicated in migraine pain signaling; (iii) a complexity of anti-nociceptive effects of endoCBs mediated by cannabinoid receptors and through a direct modulation of ion channels in nociceptive neurons; and (iv) the spectrum of emerging potent MAGL and FAAH inhibitors which efficiently increase endoCBs levels. The specific distribution and homeostasis of endoCBs in the main regions of the nociceptive system and their generation ‘on demand’, along with recent availability of MAGL and FAAH inhibitors suggest new perspectives for endoCBs-mediated analgesia in migraine pain.
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15
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Jankovic M, Spasojevic N, Ferizovic H, Stefanovic B, Dronjak S. Sex specific effects of the fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597 on memory and brain β 2-adrenergic and D1-dopamine receptors. Neurosci Lett 2022; 768:136363. [PMID: 34843876 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
An increasing body of evidence shows significant sex differences in the mammalian brain in multiple behaviours and psychiatric and neurological diseases and as well as that the endocannabinoid system may differ between males and females. In this study we investigated sex differences in working, short-term and long-term memory and the expression of β2-adrenergic and D1- and D2-receptors in the mPFC and hippocampus, brain regions that are involved in stress response and memory modulation in rats exposed to the chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) and the potential beneficial effects of the chronic fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor URB597 treatment. Chronically stressed male rats had an improvement of working memory, while stressed females showed very low object-recognition abilities. On the other hand, animals of both sexes exhibited long-term memory impairment. Our results showed that CUS decreased the expression of β2-adrenoceptors in the mPFC and D1 receptors in the mPFC and hippocampus of male rats and decreased β2-adrenoceptors and D1- receptors in the hippocampus of female. URB597 treatment had a positive effect on the short-term memory of stressed animals of both sexes whereas failed to restore long-term memory and did not affect the protein levels β2-adrenoceptors and D1 receptors in the hippocampus of CUS female rats. The present results support that endocannabinoids induced long-term memory and neurochemical alternations which are sex dependent, suggesting sex specific treatment strategies of mental disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milica Jankovic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Natasa Spasojevic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Harisa Ferizovic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Bojana Stefanovic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sladjana Dronjak
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, "Vinča" Institute of Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of the Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
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16
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Potential and Limits of Cannabinoids in Alzheimer's Disease Therapy. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10060542. [PMID: 34204237 PMCID: PMC8234911 DOI: 10.3390/biology10060542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary This review was aimed at exploring the potentiality of drugging the endocannabinoid system as a therapeutic option for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent discoveries have demonstrated how the modulation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and receptor 2 (CB2) can exert neuroprotective effects without the recreational and pharmacological properties of Cannabis sativa. Thus, this review explores the potential of cannabinoids in AD, also highlighting their limitations in perspective to point out the need for further research on cannabinoids in AD therapy. Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a detrimental brain disorder characterized by a gradual cognitive decline and neuronal deterioration. To date, the treatments available are effective only in the early stage of the disease. The AD etiology has not been completely revealed, and investigating new pathological mechanisms is essential for developing effective and safe drugs. The recreational and pharmacological properties of marijuana are known for centuries, but only recently the scientific community started to investigate the potential use of cannabinoids in AD therapy—sometimes with contradictory outcomes. Since the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is highly expressed in the hippocampus and cortex, cannabis use/abuse has often been associated with memory and learning dysfunction in vulnerable individuals. However, the latest findings in AD rodent models have shown promising effects of cannabinoids in reducing amyloid plaque deposition and stimulating hippocampal neurogenesis. Beneficial effects on several dementia-related symptoms have also been reported in clinical trials after cannabinoid treatments. Accordingly, future studies should address identifying the correct therapeutic dosage and timing of treatment from the perspective of using cannabinoids in AD therapy. The present paper aims to summarize the potential and limitations of cannabinoids as therapeutics for AD, focusing on recent pre-clinical and clinical evidence.
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17
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Lee MT, Chen YH, Mackie K, Chiou LC. Median Nerve Stimulation as a Nonpharmacological Approach to Bypass Analgesic Tolerance to Morphine: A Proof-of-Concept Study in Mice. THE JOURNAL OF PAIN 2020; 22:300-312. [PMID: 33069869 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2020.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 09/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/25/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Analgesic tolerance to opioids contributes to the opioid crisis by increasing the quantity of opioids prescribed and consumed. Thus, there is a need to develop non-opioid-based pain-relieving regimens as well as strategies to circumvent opioid tolerance. Previously, we revealed a non-opioid analgesic mechanism induced by median nerve electrostimulation at the overlaying PC6 (Neiguan) acupoint (MNS-PC6). Here, we further examined the efficacy of MNS-PC6 in morphine-tolerant mice with neuropathic pain induced by chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Daily treatments of MNS-PC6 (2 Hz, 2 mA), but not electrostimulation at a nonmedian nerve-innervated location, for a week post-CCI induction significantly suppressed established mechanical allodynia in CCI-mice in an orexin-1 (OX1) and cannabinoid-1 (CB1) receptor-dependent fashion. This antiallodynic effect induced by repeated MNS-PC6 was comparable to that induced by repeated gabapentin (50 mg/kg, i.p.) or single morphine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) treatments, but without tolerance, unlike repeated morphine-induced analgesia. Furthermore, single and repeated MNS-PC6 treatments remained fully effective in morphine-tolerant CCI-mice, also in an OX1 and CB1 receptor-dependent fashion. In CCI-mice receiving escalating doses of morphine for 21 days (10, 20 and 50 mg/kg), single and repeated MNS-PC6 treatments remained fully effective. Therefore, repeated MNS-PC6 treatments induce analgesia without tolerance, and retain efficacy in opioid-tolerant mice via a mechanism that involves OX1 and CB1 receptors. This study suggests that MNS-PC6 is an alternative pain management strategy that maybe useful for combatting the opioid epidemic, and opioid-tolerant patients receiving palliative care. PERSPECTIVE: Median nerve stimulation relieves neuropathic pain in mice without tolerance and retains efficacy even in mice with analgesic tolerance to escalating doses of morphine, via an opioid-independent, orexin-endocannabinoid-mediated mechanism. This study provides a proof of concept for utilizing peripheral nerve stimulating devices for pain management in opioid-tolerant patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Tatt Lee
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UCSI University, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Yi-Hung Chen
- Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Chinese Medicine Research Center, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ken Mackie
- Gill Center for Biomolecular Research, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
| | - Lih-Chu Chiou
- Graduate Institute of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan; Graduate Institute of Acupuncture Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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18
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van Egmond N, Straub VM, van der Stelt M. Targeting Endocannabinoid Signaling: FAAH and MAG Lipase Inhibitors. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2020; 61:441-463. [PMID: 32867595 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-030220-112741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Inspired by the medicinal properties of the plant Cannabis sativa and its principal component (-)-trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), researchers have developed a variety of compounds to modulate the endocannabinoid system in the human brain. Inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), which are the enzymes responsible for the inactivation of the endogenous cannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, respectively, may exert therapeutic effects without inducing the adverse side effects associated with direct cannabinoid CB1 receptor stimulation by THC. Here we review the FAAH and MAGL inhibitors that have reached clinical trials, discuss potential caveats, and provide an outlook on where the field is headed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noëlle van Egmond
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Verena M Straub
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Mario van der Stelt
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands;
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19
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Machine-learned analysis of the association of next-generation sequencing-based genotypes with persistent pain after breast cancer surgery. Pain 2020; 160:2263-2277. [PMID: 31107411 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000001616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cancer and its surgical treatment are among the most important triggering events for persistent pain, but additional factors need to be present for the clinical manifestation, such as variants in pain-relevant genes. In a cohort of 140 women undergoing breast cancer surgery, assigned based on a 3-year follow-up to either a persistent or nonpersistent pain phenotype, next-generation sequencing was performed for 77 genes selected for known functional involvement in persistent pain. Applying machine-learning and item categorization techniques, 21 variants in 13 different genes were found to be relevant to the assignment of a patient to either the persistent pain or the nonpersistent pain phenotype group. In descending order of importance for correct group assignment, the relevant genes comprised DRD1, FAAH, GCH1, GPR132, OPRM1, DRD3, RELN, GABRA5, NF1, COMT, TRPA1, ABHD6, and DRD4, of which one in the DRD4 gene was a novel discovery. Particularly relevant variants were found in the DRD1 and GPR132 genes, or in a cis-eCTL position of the OPRM1 gene. Supervised machine-learning-based classifiers, trained with 2/3 of the data, identified the correct pain phenotype group in the remaining 1/3 of the patients at accuracies and areas under the receiver operator characteristic curves of 65% to 72%. When using conservative classical statistical approaches, none of the variants passed α-corrected testing. The present data analysis approach, using machine learning and training artificial intelligences, provided biologically plausible results and outperformed classical approaches to genotype-phenotype association.
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20
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Decreased neural expression of the noradrenaline transporter in the papillary dermis after partial sciatic nerve lesion. J Chem Neuroanat 2020; 107:101806. [PMID: 32473320 DOI: 10.1016/j.jchemneu.2020.101806] [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: 01/28/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
After peripheral nerve injury, regeneration or collateral sprouting of noradrenergic nerve fibres in the papillary dermis of the injured limb may contribute to sympathetically-maintained pain. The aim of this study was to determine whether noradrenergic nerve fibre regeneration after partial sciatic nerve ligation (PSL) in Wistar rats was accompanied by parallel shifts in expression of the noradrenaline transporter (NAT). Four or 28 days after PSL surgery, immunohistochemistry was used to examine NAT expression in plantar hind paw skin in relation to pan-neuronal markers (class III beta-tubulin and protein gene product 9.5), peptidergic afferents containing calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), nonpeptidergic afferents labelled by isolectin B4 (IB4), and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), a marker for cutaneous noradrenergic nerve fibres. Most dermal nerve fibre populations decreased shortly after PSL. However, four weeks after PSL, an increase in staining intensity of CGRP and novel expression of TH were observed in the papillary dermis on the injured side. In contrast, neural expression of NAT was reduced in this region. Loss of NAT might have implications for sympathetically-maintained pain, as failure to rapidly clear noradrenaline could exacerbate aberrant sympathetic-sensory signalling between closely apposed noradrenergic and peptidergic nerve fibres.
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21
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Tian X, Liu T, Li L, Shao B, Yao D, Feng L, Cui J, James TD, Ma X. Visual High-Throughput Screening for Developing a Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Natural Inhibitor Based on an Enzyme-Activated Fluorescent Probe. Anal Chem 2020; 92:9493-9500. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.9b05826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangge Tian
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- College of Integrative Medicine, The National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug Development of Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, China
| | - Tao Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China
| | - Lu Li
- College of Integrative Medicine, The National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug Development of Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, China
| | - Bo Shao
- Zhendong Pharmaceutical Research Institute Co. Ltd., Changzhi, Shanxi 047100, China
| | - Dahong Yao
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518060, China
| | - Lei Feng
- College of Integrative Medicine, The National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug Development of Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, China
| | - Jingnan Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Fine Chemicals, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian, Liaoning 116024, China
| | - Tony D. James
- Department of Chemistry, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Xiaochi Ma
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, 209 Tongshan Road, Xuzhou, Jiangsu 221004, China
- College of Integrative Medicine, The National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center for Drug Development of Neurodegenerative Disease, College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, Liaoning 116044, China
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22
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Endo T, Takeuchi T, Maehara S. Pharmacological characterization of a novel, potent, selective, and orally active fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor, PKM-833 [(R)-N-(pyridazin-3-yl)-4-(7-(trifluoromethyl)chroman-4-yl)piperazine-1-carboxamide] in rats: Potential for the treatment of inflammatory pain. Pharmacol Res Perspect 2020; 8:e00569. [PMID: 32101384 PMCID: PMC7043261 DOI: 10.1002/prp2.569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Recently, we identified a novel fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor, PKM-833 [(R)-N-(pyridazin-3-yl)-4-(7-(trifluoromethyl)chroman-4-yl)piperazine-1-carboxamide]. The aim of the present study is to characterize the pharmacological profile of PKM-833 in vitro and in vivo. PKM-833 showed potent inhibitory activities against human and rat FAAH with IC50 values of 8.8 and 10 nmol/L, respectively, 200-fold more selectivity against other 137 molecular targets, and irreversible mode of action. In pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic studies, PKM-833 showed excellent brain penetration and good oral bioavailability, and elevated anandamide (AEA) concentrations in the rat brain. These data indicate that PKM-833 is a potent, selective, orally active, and brain-penetrable FAAH inhibitor. In behavioral studies using rat models, PKM-833 significantly attenuated formalin-induced pain responses (3 mg/kg) and improved mechanical allodynia in complete freund's adjuvant (CFA)-induced inflammatory pain (0.3-3 mg/kg). On the other hand, PKM-833 did not show the analgesic effects against mechanical allodynia in chronic constriction injury (CCI)-induced neuropathic pain up to 30 mg/kg. Regarding side effects, PKM-833 had no significant effects on catalepsy and motor coordination up to 30 mg/kg. These results indicate that PKM-833 is a useful pharmacological agent that can be used to investigate the role of FAAH and may have therapeutic potential for the treatment of inflammatory pain without undesirable side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Toshiya Endo
- Biology LaboratoryDiscovery ResearchMochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.GotembaShizuokaJapan
| | - Takashi Takeuchi
- Biology LaboratoryDiscovery ResearchMochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.GotembaShizuokaJapan
| | - Shunsuke Maehara
- Biology LaboratoryDiscovery ResearchMochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.GotembaShizuokaJapan
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Hossain MZ, Ando H, Unno S, Kitagawa J. Targeting Peripherally Restricted Cannabinoid Receptor 1, Cannabinoid Receptor 2, and Endocannabinoid-Degrading Enzymes for the Treatment of Neuropathic Pain Including Neuropathic Orofacial Pain. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E1423. [PMID: 32093166 PMCID: PMC7073137 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21041423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Revised: 02/17/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuropathic pain conditions including neuropathic orofacial pain (NOP) are difficult to treat. Contemporary therapeutic agents for neuropathic pain are often ineffective in relieving pain and are associated with various adverse effects. Finding new options for treating neuropathic pain is a major priority in pain-related research. Cannabinoid-based therapeutic strategies have emerged as promising new options. Cannabinoids mainly act on cannabinoid 1 (CB1) and 2 (CB2) receptors, and the former is widely distributed in the brain. The therapeutic significance of cannabinoids is masked by their adverse effects including sedation, motor impairment, addiction and cognitive impairment, which are thought to be mediated by CB1 receptors in the brain. Alternative approaches have been developed to overcome this problem by selectively targeting CB2 receptors, peripherally restricted CB1 receptors and endocannabinoids that may be locally synthesized on demand at sites where their actions are pertinent. Many preclinical studies have reported that these strategies are effective for treating neuropathic pain and produce no or minimal side effects. Recently, we observed that inhibition of degradation of a major endocannabinoid, 2-arachydonoylglycerol, can attenuate NOP following trigeminal nerve injury in mice. This review will discuss the above-mentioned alternative approaches that show potential for treating neuropathic pain including NOP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Zakir Hossain
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry, Matsumoto Dental University, 1780 Gobara Hirooka, Shiojiri, Nagano 399-0781, Japan; (S.U.); (J.K.)
| | - Hiroshi Ando
- Department of Biology, School of Dentistry, Matsumoto Dental University, 1780 Gobara, Hirooka, Shiojiri, Nagano 399-0781, Japan;
| | - Shumpei Unno
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry, Matsumoto Dental University, 1780 Gobara Hirooka, Shiojiri, Nagano 399-0781, Japan; (S.U.); (J.K.)
| | - Junichi Kitagawa
- Department of Oral Physiology, School of Dentistry, Matsumoto Dental University, 1780 Gobara Hirooka, Shiojiri, Nagano 399-0781, Japan; (S.U.); (J.K.)
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Tripathi RKP. A perspective review on fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitors as potential therapeutic agents. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 188:111953. [PMID: 31945644 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2019] [Revised: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is an important enzyme creditworthy of hydrolyzing endocannabinoids and related-amidated signalling lipids, discovery of which has pioneered novel arena of pharmacological canvasses to unwrap its curative potency in various diseased circumstances. It presents contemporary basis for understanding molecules regulating and mediating inflammatory reactions, pain, anxiety, depression, and neurodegeneration. FAAH inhibitors form vital approach for discovery of therapeutic agents that are concerned with local elevation of endocannabinoids under certain stimuli, debarring adverse/unwanted secondary effects from global activation of cannabinoid receptors by exogenous cannabimimetics. During past decades, several molecules with excellent potency developed through tailor-made approaches entered into clinical trials, but none could reach market. Hence, hunt for novel, non-toxic and selective FAAH inhibitors are on horizon. This review summarizes present perception on FAAH in conjunction with its structure, mechanism of catalysis and biological functions. It also foregrounds recent development of molecules belonging to diverse chemical classes as potential FAAH inhibitors bobbing up from in-depth chemical, mechanistic and computational studies published since 2015-November 2019, focusing on their potency. This review will assist readers to obtain rationale on FAAH as potential target for addressing various disease conditions, acquiring significant knowledge on recently established inhibitor scaffolds and their development potentials. New technologies including MD-MM simulations and 3D-QSAR studies allow mechanistic characterization of enzyme. Assessment of in-vitro and in-vivo efficacy of existing FAAH inhibitors will facilitate researchers to design novel ligands utilizing modern drug design methods. The discussions will also impose precaution in decision making process, quashing possibility of late stage failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rati Kailash Prasad Tripathi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Science, Sushruta School of Medical and Paramedical Sciences, Assam University (A Central University), Silchar, Assam, 788011, India; Pharmaceutical Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, 221005, India.
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25
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Greco R, Demartini C, Zanaboni AM, Tumelero E, Reggiani A, Misto A, Piomelli D, Tassorelli C. FAAH inhibition as a preventive treatment for migraine: A pre-clinical study. Neurobiol Dis 2019; 134:104624. [PMID: 31629892 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2019.104624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 09/02/2019] [Accepted: 09/23/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fatty-acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is an intracellular serine hydrolase that catalyzes the cleavage of endogenous fatty-acid amides, including the endocannabinoid anandamide (AEA). We previously reported that the peripherally restricted FAAH inhibitor URB937, which selectively increases AEA levels outside the central nervous system, reduces hyperalgesia and c-Fos expression in the trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) and the locus coeruleus in an animal model of migraine based on nitroglycerin (NTG) administration. AIM To further investigate the relevance of FAAH inhibition in the NTG animal model of migraine by testing the effects of the globally active FAAH inhibitor URB597. METHODS Our experimental approach involved mapping neuronal c-Fos protein expression, measurement of AEA levels in brain areas and in trigeminal ganglia, evaluation of pain-related behavior and quantification of molecular mediators in rats that received URB597 (2 mg/kg i.p.) either before or after NTG administration (10 mg/kg, i.p.). RESULTS Pre-treatment with URB597 significantly reduced c-Fos immunoreactivity in the TNC and inhibited NTG-induced hyperalgesia in the orofacial formalin test. This behavioral response was associated with a decrease in neuronal nitric oxide synthase, calcitonin gene-related peptide and cytokine gene expression levels in central and peripheral structures. Administration of URB597 after NTG had no such effect. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that global FAAH inhibition may offer a therapeutic approach to the prevention, but not the abortive treatment, of migraine attacks. Further studies are needed to elucidate the exact cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effects of FAAH inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosaria Greco
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation Pavia, Italy.
| | - Chiara Demartini
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Zanaboni
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation Pavia, Italy; Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy
| | - Elena Tumelero
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation Pavia, Italy
| | - Angelo Reggiani
- Dept. of Drug Discovery and Development, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Alessandra Misto
- Dept. of Drug Discovery and Development, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Daniele Piomelli
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, CA, USA
| | - Cristina Tassorelli
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation Pavia, Italy; Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Italy
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26
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The endocannabinoid system: Novel targets for treating cancer induced bone pain. Biomed Pharmacother 2019; 120:109504. [PMID: 31627091 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2019.109504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Treating Cancer-induced bone pain (CIBP) continues to be a major clinical challenge and underlying mechanisms of CIBP remain unclear. Recently, emerging body of evidence suggested the endocannabinoid system (ECS) may play essential roles in CIBP. Here, we summarized the current understanding of the antinociceptive mechanisms of endocannabinoids in CIBP and discussed the beneficial effects of endocannabinoid for CIBP treatment. Targeting non-selective cannabinoid 1 receptors or selective cannabinoid 2 receptors, and modulation of peripheral AEA and 2-AG, as well as the inhibition the function of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) have produced analgesic effects in animal models of CIBP. Management of ECS therefore appears to be a promising way for the treatment of CIBP in terms of efficacy and safety. Further clinical studies are encouraged to confirm the possible translation to humans of the very promising results already obtained in the preclinical studies.
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27
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Abstract
Cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids and the enzymes responsible for their biosynthesis and degradation constitute the endocannabinoid system. In recent decades, the endocannabinoid system has attracted considerable interest as a potential therapeutic target in numerous pathological conditions. Its involvement in several physiological processes is well known, such as in energy balance, appetite stimulation, blood pressure, pain modulation, embryogenesis, nausea and vomiting control, memory, learning and immune response, among others, as well as in pathological conditions where it exerts a protective role in the development of certain disorders. As a result, it has been reported that changes in endocannabinoid levels may be related to neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis, as well as anorexia and irritable bowel syndrome. Alterations in the endocannabinoid system have also been associated with cancer, affecting the growth, migration and invasion of some tumours. Cannabinoids have been tested in several cancer types, including brain, breast and prostate cancers. Cannabinoids have shown promise as analgesics for the treatment of both inflammatory and neuropathic pain. There is also evidence for a role of the endocannabinoid system in the control of emotional states, and cannabinoids could prove useful in decreasing and palliating post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and anxiolytic disorders. The role of the endocannabinoid system in addictions has also been examined, and cannabinoids have been postulated as alternative and co-adjuvant treatments in some abuse syndromes, mainly in ethanol and opioid abuses. The expression of the endocannabinoid system in the eye suggests that it could be a potential therapeutic target for eye diseases. Considering the importance of the endocannabinoid system and the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in this vast number of medical conditions, several clinical studies with cannabinoid-based medications are ongoing. In addition, some cannabinoid-based medications have already been approved in various countries, including nabilone and dronabinol capsules for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, dronabinol capsules for anorexia, an oral solution of dronabinol for both vomiting associated with chemotherapy and anorexia, a Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol oromucosal spray for pain related to cancer and for spasticity and pain associated with multiple sclerosis, and an oral solution of cannabidiol for Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes. Here, we review the available efficacy, safety and tolerability data for cannabinoids in a range of medical conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Isabel Fraguas-Sánchez
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Food Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 , Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Isabel Torres-Suárez
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Food Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 , Madrid, Spain. .,Institute of Industrial Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 , Madrid, Spain.
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Contarini G, Ferretti V, Papaleo F. Acute Administration of URB597 Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Inhibitor Prevents Attentional Impairments by Distractors in Adolescent Mice. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:787. [PMID: 31379568 PMCID: PMC6658611 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The maturation of attentional control during adolescence might influence later functional outcome or predisposition to psychiatric disorders. During adolescence, the cannabinoid system is particularly sensitive to pharmacological challenges, with potential impact on cognitive functions. Here, we used a recently validated five-choice serial reaction time task protocol to test adolescent C57BL/6J mice. We showed that the pharmacological inhibition (by URB597) of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the major enzyme implicated in anandamide degradation, prevented cognitive disruptions induced by distracting cues in adolescent mice. In particular, these protective effects were indicated by increased accuracy and correct responses and decreased premature responses selectively in the distractor trials. Notably, at the relatively low dose used, we detected no effects in other cognitive, motor, or incentive measures nor long-lasting or rebound effects of FAAH inhibition in cognitive functions. Overall, these data provide initial evidence of selective procognitive effects of FAAH inhibition in measures of attentional control in adolescent mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriella Contarini
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Valentina Ferretti
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
| | - Francesco Papaleo
- Department of Neuroscience and Brain Technologies, Genetics of Cognition Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Genova, Italy
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Buisseret B, Alhouayek M, Guillemot-Legris O, Muccioli GG. Endocannabinoid and Prostanoid Crosstalk in Pain. Trends Mol Med 2019; 25:882-896. [PMID: 31160168 DOI: 10.1016/j.molmed.2019.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2019] [Revised: 04/18/2019] [Accepted: 04/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Interfering with endocannabinoid (eCB) metabolism to increase their levels is a proven anti-nociception strategy. However, because the eCB and prostanoid systems are intertwined, interfering with eCB metabolism will affect the prostanoid system and inversely. Key to this connection is the production of the cyclooxygenase (COX) substrate arachidonic acid upon eCB hydrolysis as well as the ability of COX to metabolize the eCBs anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) into prostaglandin-ethanolamides (PG-EA) and prostaglandin-glycerol esters (PG-G), respectively. Recent studies shed light on the role of PG-Gs and PG-EAs in nociception and inflammation. Here, we discuss the role of these complex systems in nociception and new opportunities to alleviate pain by interacting with them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baptiste Buisseret
- Bioanalysis and Pharmacology of Bioactive Lipids Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Mireille Alhouayek
- Bioanalysis and Pharmacology of Bioactive Lipids Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Owein Guillemot-Legris
- Bioanalysis and Pharmacology of Bioactive Lipids Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium
| | - Giulio G Muccioli
- Bioanalysis and Pharmacology of Bioactive Lipids Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, 1200 Bruxelles, Belgium.
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30
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Kruk-Slomka M, Banaszkiewicz I, Slomka T, Biala G. Effects of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Inhibitors Acute Administration on the Positive and Cognitive Symptoms of Schizophrenia in Mice. Mol Neurobiol 2019; 56:7251-7266. [PMID: 31004320 PMCID: PMC6815283 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-019-1596-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The connection between the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and schizophrenia is supported by a large body of research. The ECS is composed of two types cannabinoid (CB: CB1 and CB2) receptors and their endogenous ligands, endocannabinoids. The best-known endocannabinoids, anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), are intracellularly degraded by fatty acid hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), respectively. Thus, the function of ECS might be modulated in a direct way, through CB receptor ligands or indirectly by FAAH and MAGL inhibitors. We evaluated that the direct influence of ECS, using FAAH (URB 597) and MAGL (JZL 184) inhibitors, on the schizophrenia-like effects in mice. The behavioral schizophrenia-like symptoms were obtained in animals by using N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, MK-801. An acute administration of MK-801 (0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg) induced psychotic symptoms in rodents, manifested as the increase in locomotor activity, measured in actimeters, as well as the memory impairment, assessed in the passive avoidance (PA) task. We revealed that an acute administration of URB 597, at the dose of 0.3 mg/kg, attenuated MK-801 (0.6 mg/kg)-induced memory impairment. In turn, an acute administration of URB 597 at a higher dose (1 mg/kg) potentiated MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg)-induced memory impairment. Similarly, an acute administration of JZL 184 (20 and 40 mg/kg) intensified an amnestic effect of MK-801 (0.3 mg/kg). Moreover, an acute injection of JZL 184 (1 mg/kg) potentiated hyperlocomotion is provoked by MK-801 (0.3 and 0.6 mg/kg) administration. The present findings clearly indicate that ECS, through an indirect manner, modulates a variety of schizophrenia-like responses in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Kruk-Slomka
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lublin, Chodzki 4a Street, 20-093, Lublin, Poland.
| | - Izabela Banaszkiewicz
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lublin, Chodzki 4a Street, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
| | - Tomasz Slomka
- Department of Mathematics and Medical Biostatistics, Medical University of Lublin, Jaczewskiego 4 Street, 20-954, Lublin, Poland
| | - Grazyna Biala
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacodynamics, Medical University of Lublin, Chodzki 4a Street, 20-093, Lublin, Poland
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31
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Hiesinger K, Wagner KM, Hammock BD, Proschak E, Hwang SH. Development of multitarget agents possessing soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitory activity. Prostaglandins Other Lipid Mediat 2019; 140:31-39. [PMID: 30593866 PMCID: PMC6345559 DOI: 10.1016/j.prostaglandins.2018.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Revised: 11/27/2018] [Accepted: 12/24/2018] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Over the last two decades polypharmacology has emerged as a new paradigm in drug discovery, even though developing drugs with high potency and selectivity toward a single biological target is still a major strategy. Often, targeting only a single enzyme or receptor shows lack of efficacy. High levels of inhibitor of a single target also can lead to adverse side effects. A second target may offer additive or synergistic effects to affecting the first target thereby reducing on- and off-target side effects. Therefore, drugs that inhibit multiple targets may offer a great potential for increased efficacy and reduced the adverse effects. In this review we summarize recent findings of rationally designed multitarget compounds that are aimed to improve efficacy and safety profiles compared to those that target a single enzyme or receptor. We focus on dual inhibitors/modulators that target the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) as a common part of their design to take advantage of the beneficial effects of sEH inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kerstin Hiesinger
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University of Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, D-60439, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Karen M Wagner
- Department of Entomology and Nematology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Bruce D Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Ewgenij Proschak
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University of Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue Str. 9, D-60439, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sung Hee Hwang
- Department of Entomology and Nematology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA.
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Mlost J, Wąsik A, Michaluk JT, Antkiewicz-Michaluk L, Starowicz K. Changes in Monoaminergic Neurotransmission in an Animal Model of Osteoarthritis: The Role of Endocannabinoid Signaling. Front Mol Neurosci 2018; 11:466. [PMID: 30618615 PMCID: PMC6306412 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2018.00466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2018] [Accepted: 12/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic pain is a main symptom of osteoarthritis (OA). Moreover, a high percentage of OA patients suffer from mental health problems. The endocannabinoid (EC) system has attracted attention as an emerging drug target for pain treatment together with its activity on the mesolimbic reward system. Understanding the circuits that govern the reward of pain relief is crucial for the search for effective analgesics. Therefore, we investigated the role of the EC system on dopamine (DA) and noradrenaline (NA) in an animal model of OA-related chronic pain. OA rats exhibited significant decreases in DA metabolism in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), striatum (STR) and hippocampus (HC). NA metabolism was also significantly decreased by chronic pain in OA rats; however, this disruption was limited to the frontal cortex (FCx) and HC. URB597 (an inhibitor of EC metabolism) treatment completely reversed the decreased DA metabolism, especially in the brain reward system and the HC. Furthermore, administration of URB597 normalized the impairment of NA activity in the HC but potentiated the decreased NA levels in the FCx. Our results demonstrated that chronic pain in OA rats was reflected by the inhibition of mesolimbic and mesocortical dopaminergic transmission, and may indicate the pro-pain role of NA in the FCx. The data provide understanding about changes in neurotransmission in chronic pain states and may explain the clinical improvement in perceived life quality following cannabinoid treatment. Additional mechanistic studies in preclinical models examining the intersection between chronic pain and reward circuits may offer new approaches for improving pain therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub Mlost
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Agnieszka Wąsik
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Jerzy Tadeusz Michaluk
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | | | - Katarzyna Starowicz
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
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Lafreniere J, Kelly M. Potential for endocannabinoid system modulation in ocular pain and inflammation: filling the gaps in current pharmacological options. Neuronal Signal 2018; 2:NS20170144. [PMID: 32714590 PMCID: PMC7373237 DOI: 10.1042/ns20170144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Challenges in the management of ocular pain are an underappreciated topic. Currently available therapeutics lack both efficacy and clear guidelines for their use, with many also possessing unacceptable side effects. Promising novel agents would offer analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and possibly neuroprotective actions; have favorable ocular safety profiles; and show potential in managing neuropathic pain. Growing evidence supports a link between the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and a range of physiological and disease processes, notably those involving inflammation and pain. Both preclinical and clinical data suggest analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions of cannabinoids and ECS-modifying drugs in chronic pain conditions, including those of neuropathic origin. This review will examine existing evidence for the anatomical and physiological basis of ocular pain, specifically, ocular surface disease and the development of chronic ocular pain. The mechanism of action, efficacy, and limitations of currently available treatments will be discussed, and current knowledge related to ECS-modulation of ocular pain and inflammatory disease will be summarized. A perspective will be provided on the future directions of ECS research in terms of developing cannabinoid therapeutics for ocular pain.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melanie E.M. Kelly
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
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Scaffold hopping-guided design of some isatin based rigid analogs as fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors: Synthesis and evaluation. Biomed Pharmacother 2018; 107:1611-1623. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2018.08.125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2018] [Revised: 08/22/2018] [Accepted: 08/23/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
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Pascual D, Sánchez-Robles E, García M, Goicoechea C. Chronic pain and cannabinoids. Great expectations or a christmas carol. Biochem Pharmacol 2018; 157:33-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2018.07.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 07/24/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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36
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Slivicki RA, Saberi SA, Iyer V, Vemuri VK, Makriyannis A, Hohmann AG. Brain-Permeant and -Impermeant Inhibitors of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Synergize with the Opioid Analgesic Morphine to Suppress Chemotherapy-Induced Neuropathic Nociception Without Enhancing Effects of Morphine on Gastrointestinal Transit. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2018; 367:551-563. [PMID: 30275151 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.118.252288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2018] [Accepted: 09/28/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Opioid-based therapies remain a mainstay for chronic pain management, but unwanted side effects limit therapeutic use. We compared efficacies of brain-permeant and -impermeant inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) in suppressing neuropathic pain induced by the chemotherapeutic agent paclitaxel. Paclitaxel produced mechanical and cold allodynia without altering nestlet shredding or marble burying behaviors. We compared FAAH inhibitors that differ in their ability to penetrate the central nervous system for antiallodynic efficacy, pharmacological specificity, and synergism with the opioid analgesic morphine. (3'-(aminocarbonyl)[1,1'-biphenyl]- 3-yl)-cyclohexylcarbamate (URB597), a brain-permeant FAAH inhibitor, attenuated paclitaxel-induced allodynia via cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2) mechanisms. URB937, a brain-impermeant FAAH inhibitor, suppressed paclitaxel-induced allodynia through a CB1 mechanism only. 5-[4-(4-cyano-1-butyn-1-yl)phenyl]-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-N-(1,1-dioxido-4-thiomorpholinyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (AM6545), a peripherally restricted CB1 antagonist, fully reversed the antiallodynic efficacy of N-cyclohexyl-carbamic acid, 3'-(aminocarbonyl)-6-hydroxy[1,1'- biphenyl]-3-yl ester (URB937) but only partially reversed that of URB597. Thus, URB937 suppressed paclitaxel-induced allodynia through a mechanism that was dependent upon peripheral CB1 receptor activation only. Antiallodynic effects of both FAAH inhibitors were reversed by N-(piperidin-1-yl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-1H-pyrazole-3-carboxamide (AM251). Antiallodynic effects of URB597, but not URB937, were reversed by 6-iodo-2-methyl-1-[2-(4-morpholinyl)ethyl]-1H-indol-3-yl](4-methoxyphenyl)methanone (AM630). Isobolographic analysis revealed synergistic interactions between morphine and either URB597 or URB937 in reducing paclitaxel-induced allodynia. A leftward shift in the dose-response curve of morphine antinociception was observed when morphine was coadministered with either URB597 or URB937, consistent with morphine sparing. However, neither URB937 nor URB597 enhanced morphine-induced deficits in colonic transit. Thus, our findings suggest that FAAH inhibition may represent a therapeutic avenue to reduce the overall amount of opioid needed for treating neuropathic pain with potential to reduce unwanted side effects that accompany opioid administration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard A Slivicki
- Program in Neuroscience (R.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (R.A.S., S.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), and Gill Center for Biomolecular Science (A.G.H.), Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; and Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (V.K.V., A.M.)
| | - Shahin A Saberi
- Program in Neuroscience (R.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (R.A.S., S.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), and Gill Center for Biomolecular Science (A.G.H.), Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; and Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (V.K.V., A.M.)
| | - Vishakh Iyer
- Program in Neuroscience (R.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (R.A.S., S.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), and Gill Center for Biomolecular Science (A.G.H.), Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; and Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (V.K.V., A.M.)
| | - V Kiran Vemuri
- Program in Neuroscience (R.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (R.A.S., S.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), and Gill Center for Biomolecular Science (A.G.H.), Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; and Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (V.K.V., A.M.)
| | - Alexandros Makriyannis
- Program in Neuroscience (R.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (R.A.S., S.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), and Gill Center for Biomolecular Science (A.G.H.), Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; and Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (V.K.V., A.M.)
| | - Andrea G Hohmann
- Program in Neuroscience (R.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences (R.A.S., S.A.S., V.I., A.G.H.), and Gill Center for Biomolecular Science (A.G.H.), Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana; and Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts (V.K.V., A.M.)
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37
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Kringel D, Kaunisto MA, Lippmann C, Kalso E, Lötsch J. Development of an AmpliSeq TM Panel for Next-Generation Sequencing of a Set of Genetic Predictors of Persisting Pain. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:1008. [PMID: 30283335 PMCID: PMC6156278 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 08/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Many gene variants modulate the individual perception of pain and possibly also its persistence. The limited selection of single functional variants is increasingly being replaced by analyses of the full coding and regulatory sequences of pain-relevant genes accessible by means of next generation sequencing (NGS). Methods: An NGS panel was created for a set of 77 human genes selected following different lines of evidence supporting their role in persisting pain. To address the role of these candidate genes, we established a sequencing assay based on a custom AmpliSeqTM panel to assess the exomic sequences in 72 subjects of Caucasian ethnicity. To identify the systems biology of the genes, the biological functions associated with these genes were assessed by means of a computational over-representation analysis. Results: Sequencing generated a median of 2.85 ⋅ 106 reads per run with a mean depth close to 200 reads, mean read length of 205 called bases and an average chip loading of 71%. A total of 3,185 genetic variants were called. A computational functional genomics analysis indicated that the proposed NGS gene panel covers biological processes identified previously as characterizing the functional genomics of persisting pain. Conclusion: Results of the NGS assay suggested that the produced nucleotide sequences are comparable to those earned with the classical Sanger sequencing technique. The assay is applicable for small to large-scale experimental setups to target the accessing of information about any nucleotide within the addressed genes in a study cohort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dario Kringel
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Mari A Kaunisto
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Catharina Lippmann
- Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology - Project Group Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Eija Kalso
- Division of Pain Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Medicine, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Jörn Lötsch
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe-University, Frankfurt, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology - Project Group Translational Medicine and Pharmacology, Frankfurt, Germany
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38
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Enhanced endocannabinoid tone as a potential target of pharmacotherapy. Life Sci 2018; 204:20-45. [PMID: 29729263 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2018.04.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 72] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system is up-regulated in numerous pathophysiological states such as inflammatory, neurodegenerative, gastrointestinal, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases, pain, and cancer. It has been suggested that this phenomenon primarily serves an autoprotective role in inhibiting disease progression and/or diminishing signs and symptoms. Accordingly, enhancement of endogenous endocannabinoid tone by inhibition of endocannabinoid degradation represents a promising therapeutic approach for the treatment of many diseases. Importantly, this allows for the avoidance of unwanted psychotropic side effects that accompany exogenously administered cannabinoids. The effects of endocannabinoid metabolic pathway modulation are complex, as endocannabinoids can exert their actions directly or via numerous metabolites. The two main strategies for blocking endocannabinoid degradation are inhibition of endocannabinoid-degrading enzymes and inhibition of endocannabinoid cellular uptake. To date, the most investigated compounds are inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), an enzyme that degrades the endocannabinoid anandamide. However, application of FAAH inhibitors (and consequently other endocannabinoid degradation inhibitors) in medicine became questionable due to a lack of therapeutic efficacy in clinical trials and serious adverse effects evoked by one specific compound. In this paper, we discuss multiple pathways of endocannabinoid metabolism, changes in endocannabinoid levels across numerous human diseases and corresponding experimental models, pharmacological strategies for enhancing endocannabinoid tone and potential therapeutic applications including multi-target drugs with additional targets outside of the endocannabinoid system (cyclooxygenase-2, cholinesterase, TRPV1, and PGF2α-EA receptors), and currently used medicines or medicinal herbs that additionally enhance endocannabinoid levels. Ultimately, further clinical and preclinical studies are warranted to develop medicines for enhancing endocannabinoid tone.
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39
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Fidelman S, Mizrachi Zer-Aviv T, Lange R, Hillard CJ, Akirav I. Chronic treatment with URB597 ameliorates post-stress symptoms in a rat model of PTSD. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2018. [PMID: 29519609 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2018.02.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Activating the endocannabinoid system has become a major focus in the search for novel therapeutics for anxiety and deficits in fear extinction, two defining features of PTSD. We examined whether chronic treatment with the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 (0.2, 0.3, 0.4 mg/kg, i.p.) or the CB1/2 receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 (0.25, 0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) injected for 3 weeks to rats exposed to the shock and reminders model of PTSD would attenuate post-stress symptoms and affect basolateral amygdala (BLA) and CA1 CB1 receptors. Exposure to shock and reminders enhanced acoustic startle response and impaired extinction. Rats exposed to shock and reminders and chronically treated with URB597 demonstrated normalized startle response and intact extinction kinetics. WIN55,212-2 only affected the startle response. The therapeutic effects of URB597 and WIN55,212-2 were found to be CB1 receptor dependent, as these effects were blocked when a low dose of the CB1 receptor antagonist AM251 (0.3 mg/kg, i.p. for 3 weeks) was co-administered. Moreover, URB597, but not WIN55,212-2, normalized the shock/reminders-induced upregulation in CB1 receptor levels in the BLA and CA1. One hour after the shock, N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA) was increased in the BLA and decreased in the CA1. Circulating 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) concentrations were decreased in shocked rats, with no significant effect in the BLA or CA1. FAAH activity was increased in the CA1 of shocked rats. Chronic cannabinoid treatment with URB597 can ameliorate PTSD-like symptoms suggesting FAAH inhibitors as a potentially effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of disorders associated with inefficient fear coping.
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MESH Headings
- Amidohydrolases/antagonists & inhibitors
- Amidohydrolases/metabolism
- Animals
- Arachidonic Acids/blood
- Basolateral Nuclear Complex/metabolism
- Benzamides/administration & dosage
- Benzamides/pharmacology
- Benzoxazines/administration & dosage
- Benzoxazines/pharmacology
- CA1 Region, Hippocampal/metabolism
- Cannabinoid Receptor Antagonists/pharmacology
- Carbamates/administration & dosage
- Carbamates/pharmacology
- Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
- Electric Stimulation
- Endocannabinoids/blood
- Endocannabinoids/metabolism
- Extinction, Psychological/drug effects
- Glycerides/blood
- Male
- Morpholines/administration & dosage
- Morpholines/pharmacology
- Naphthalenes/administration & dosage
- Naphthalenes/pharmacology
- Piperidines/pharmacology
- Polyunsaturated Alkamides
- Pyrazoles/pharmacology
- Rats
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB1/metabolism
- Receptor, Cannabinoid, CB2/physiology
- Reflex, Startle/drug effects
- Reflex, Startle/physiology
- Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic/drug therapy
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon Fidelman
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel
| | | | - Rachel Lange
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, USA
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 53226, USA
| | - Irit Akirav
- Department of Psychology, University of Haifa, Haifa 3498838, Israel.
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40
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Dato FM, Maaßen A, Goldfuß B, Pietsch M. Characterization of fatty acid amide hydrolase activity by a fluorescence-based assay. Anal Biochem 2018; 546:50-57. [PMID: 29408178 DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2018.01.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2017] [Revised: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is involved in many human diseases, particularly cancer, pain and inflammation as well as neurological, metabolic and cardiovascular disorders. Therefore, FAAH is an attractive target for the development of low-molecular-weight inhibitors as therapeutics, which requires robust assays that can be used for high-throughput screening (HTS) of compound libraries. Here, we report the development of a fluorometric assay based on FAAH's ability to effectively hydrolyze medium-chain fatty acid amides, introducing N-decanoyl-substituted 5-amino-2-methoxypyridine (D-MAP) as new amide substrate. D-MAP is cleaved by FAAH with an 8-fold larger specificity constant than the previously reported octanoyl-analog Oc-MAP (Vmax/Km of 1.09 and 0.134 mL min-1 mg-1, respectively), with both MAP derivatives possessing superior substrate properties and much increased aqueous solubility compared to the respective p-nitroaniline compounds D-pNA and Oc-pNA. The new assay with D-MAP as substrate is highly sensitive using a lower enzyme concentration (1 μg mL-1) than literature-reported fluorimetric FAAH assays. In addition, D-MAP was validated in comparison to the substrate Oc-MAP for the characterization of FAAH inhibitors by means of the reference compounds URB597 and TC-F2 and was shown to be highly suitable for HTS in both kinetic and endpoint assays (Z' factors of 0.81 and 0.78, respectively).
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian M Dato
- Institute II of Pharmacology, Center of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Gleueler Str. 24, D-50931 Cologne, Germany; Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstr. 4, D-50939 Cologne, Germany
| | - Andreas Maaßen
- Institute II of Pharmacology, Center of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Gleueler Str. 24, D-50931 Cologne, Germany; Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstr. 4, D-50939 Cologne, Germany
| | - Bernd Goldfuß
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, University of Cologne, Greinstr. 4, D-50939 Cologne, Germany
| | - Markus Pietsch
- Institute II of Pharmacology, Center of Pharmacology, Medical Faculty, University of Cologne, Gleueler Str. 24, D-50931 Cologne, Germany.
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41
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Greco R, Demartini C, Zanaboni AM, Piomelli D, Tassorelli C. Endocannabinoid System and Migraine Pain: An Update. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:172. [PMID: 29615860 PMCID: PMC5867306 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2017] [Accepted: 03/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The trigeminovascular system (TS) activation and the vasoactive release from trigeminal endings, in proximity of the meningeal vessels, are considered two of the main effector mechanisms of migraine attacks. Several other structures and mediators are involved, however, both upstream and alongside the TS. Among these, the endocannabinoid system (ES) has recently attracted considerable attention. Experimental and clinical data suggest indeed a link between dysregulation of this signaling complex and migraine headache. Clinical observations, in particular, show that the levels of anandamide (AEA)—one of the two primary endocannabinoid lipids—are reduced in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of patients with chronic migraine (CM), and that this reduction is associated with pain facilitation in the spinal cord. AEA is produced on demand during inflammatory conditions and exerts most of its effects by acting on cannabinoid (CB) receptors. AEA is rapidly degraded by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) enzyme and its levels can be modulated in the peripheral and central nervous system (CNS) by FAAH inhibitors. Inhibition of AEA degradation via FAAH is a promising therapeutic target for migraine pain, since it is presumably associated to an increased availability of the endocannabinoid, specifically at the site where its formation is stimulated (e.g., trigeminal ganglion and/or meninges), thus prolonging its action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosaria Greco
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Chiara Demartini
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy
| | - Anna M Zanaboni
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Daniele Piomelli
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of California, Irvine, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Cristina Tassorelli
- Laboratory of Neurophysiology of Integrative Autonomic Systems, Headache Science Centre, IRCCS Mondino Foundation, Pavia, Italy.,Department of Brain and Behavioral Sciences, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy
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42
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Jee Kim M, Tanioka M, Woo Um S, Hong SK, Hwan Lee B. Analgesic effects of FAAH inhibitor in the insular cortex of nerve-injured rats. Mol Pain 2018; 14:1744806918814345. [PMID: 30380982 PMCID: PMC6247483 DOI: 10.1177/1744806918814345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The insular cortex is an important region of brain involved in the processing of pain and emotion. Recent studies indicate that lesions in the insular cortex induce pain asymbolia and reverse neuropathic pain. Endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), which have been shown to attenuate pain, are simultaneously degraded by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) that halts the mechanisms of action. Selective inhibitor URB597 suppresses FAAH activity by conserving endocannabinoids, which reduces pain. The present study examined the analgesic effects of URB597 treatment in the insular cortex of an animal model of neuropathic pain. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to nerve injury and cannula implantation. On postoperative day 14, rodents received microinjection of URB597 into the insular cortex. In order to verify the analgesic mechanisms of URB597, cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) antagonist AM251, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR alpha) antagonist GW6471, and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) antagonist Iodoresiniferatoxin (I-RTX) were microinjected 15 min prior to URB597 injection. Changes in mechanical allodynia were measured using the von-Frey test. Expressions of CB1R, N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD), and TRPV1 significantly increased in the neuropathic pain group compared to the sham-operated control group. Mechanical threshold and expression of NAPE-PLD significantly increased in groups treated with 2 nM and 4 nM URB597 compared with the vehicle-injected group. Blockages of CB1R and PPAR alpha diminished the analgesic effects of URB597. Inhibition of TRPV1 did not effectively reduce the effects of URB597 but attenuated expression of NAPE-PLD compared with the URB597-injected group. In addition, optical imaging demonstrated that neuronal activity of the insular cortex was reduced following URB597 treatment. Our results suggest that microinjection of FAAH inhibitor into the insular cortex causes analgesic effects by decreasing neural excitability and increasing signals related to the endogenous cannabinoid pathway in the insular cortex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Jee Kim
- Department of Physiology and Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Motomasa Tanioka
- Department of Physiology and Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Woo Um
- Department of Physiology and Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Karp Hong
- Division of Bio and Health Sciences, Mokwon University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Bae Hwan Lee
- Department of Physiology and Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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43
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Panlilio LV, Justinova Z. Preclinical Studies of Cannabinoid Reward, Treatments for Cannabis Use Disorder, and Addiction-Related Effects of Cannabinoid Exposure. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:116-141. [PMID: 28845848 PMCID: PMC5719102 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis use has become increasingly accepted socially and legally, for both recreational and medicinal purposes. Without reliable information about the effects of cannabis, people cannot make informed decisions regarding its use. Like alcohol and tobacco, cannabis can have serious adverse effects on health, and some people have difficulty discontinuing their use of the drug. Many cannabis users progress to using and becoming addicted to other drugs, but the reasons for this progression are unclear. The natural cannabinoid system of the brain is complex and involved in many functions, including brain development, reward, emotion, and cognition. Animal research provides an objective and controlled means of obtaining information about: (1) how cannabis affects the brain and behavior, (2) whether medications can be developed to treat cannabis use disorder, and (3) whether cannabis might produce lasting changes in the brain that increase the likelihood of becoming addicted to other drugs. This review explains the tactics used to address these issues, evaluates the progress that has been made, and offers some directions for future research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leigh V Panlilio
- Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, DHHS, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Zuzana Justinova
- Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, DHHS, Baltimore, MD, USA
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44
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Donvito G, Nass SR, Wilkerson JL, Curry ZA, Schurman LD, Kinsey SG, Lichtman AH. The Endogenous Cannabinoid System: A Budding Source of Targets for Treating Inflammatory and Neuropathic Pain. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:52-79. [PMID: 28857069 PMCID: PMC5719110 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 08/27/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
A great need exists for the development of new medications to treat pain resulting from various disease states and types of injury. Given that the endogenous cannabinoid (that is, endocannabinoid) system modulates neuronal and immune cell function, both of which play key roles in pain, therapeutics targeting this system hold promise as novel analgesics. Potential therapeutic targets include the cannabinoid receptors, type 1 and 2, as well as biosynthetic and catabolic enzymes of the endocannabinoids N-arachidonoylethanolamine and 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Notably, cannabinoid receptor agonists as well as inhibitors of endocannabinoid-regulating enzymes fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase produce reliable antinociceptive effects, and offer opioid-sparing antinociceptive effects in myriad preclinical inflammatory and neuropathic pain models. Emerging clinical studies show that 'medicinal' cannabis or cannabinoid-based medications relieve pain in human diseases such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, and fibromyalgia. However, clinical data have yet to demonstrate the analgesic efficacy of inhibitors of endocannabinoid-regulating enzymes. Likewise, the question of whether pharmacotherapies aimed at the endocannabinoid system promote opioid-sparing effects in the treatment of pain reflects an important area of research. Here we examine the preclinical and clinical evidence of various endocannabinoid system targets as potential therapeutic strategies for inflammatory and neuropathic pain conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Donvito
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Sara R Nass
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Jenny L Wilkerson
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Zachary A Curry
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Lesley D Schurman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Steven G Kinsey
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA
| | - Aron H Lichtman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Virginia Campus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA
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45
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Lötsch J, Weyer-Menkhoff I, Tegeder I. Current evidence of cannabinoid-based analgesia obtained in preclinical and human experimental settings. Eur J Pain 2017; 22:471-484. [PMID: 29160600 DOI: 10.1002/ejp.1148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cannabinoids have a long record of recreational and medical use and become increasingly approved for pain therapy. This development is based on preclinical and human experimental research summarized in this review. Cannabinoid CB1 receptors are widely expressed throughout the nociceptive system. Their activation by endogenous or exogenous cannabinoids modulates the release of neurotransmitters. This is reflected in antinociceptive effects of cannabinoids in preclinical models of inflammatory, cancer and neuropathic pain, and by nociceptive hypersensitivity of cannabinoid receptor-deficient mice. Cannabis-based medications available for humans mainly comprise Δ9 -tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), cannabidiol (CBD) and nabilone. During the last 10 years, six controlled studies assessing analgesic effects of cannabinoid-based drugs in human experimental settings were reported. An effect on nociceptive processing could be translated to the human setting in functional magnetic resonance imaging studies that pointed at a reduced connectivity within the pain matrix of the brain. However, cannabinoid-based drugs heterogeneously influenced the perception of experimentally induced pain including a reduction in only the affective but not the sensory perception of pain, only moderate analgesic effects, or occasional hyperalgesic effects. This extends to the clinical setting. While controlled studies showed a lack of robust analgesic effects, cannabis was nearly always associated with analgesia in open-label or retrospective reports, possibly indicating an effect on well-being or mood, rather than on sensory pain. Thus, while preclinical evidence supports cannabinoid-based analgesics, human evidence presently provides only reluctant support for a broad clinical use of cannabinoid-based medications in pain therapy. SIGNIFICANCE Cannabinoids consistently produced antinociceptive effects in preclinical models, whereas they heterogeneously influenced the perception of experimentally induced pain in humans and did not provide robust clinical analgesia, which jeopardizes the translation of preclinical research on cannabinoid-mediated antinociception into the human setting.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Lötsch
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe - University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME, Project Group Translational Medicine and Pharmacology TMP, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - I Weyer-Menkhoff
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe - University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - I Tegeder
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, Goethe - University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Woodhams SG, Chapman V, Finn DP, Hohmann AG, Neugebauer V. The cannabinoid system and pain. Neuropharmacology 2017; 124:105-120. [PMID: 28625720 PMCID: PMC5785108 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 182] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2017] [Revised: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Chronic pain states are highly prevalent and yet poorly controlled by currently available analgesics, representing an enormous clinical, societal, and economic burden. Existing pain medications have significant limitations and adverse effects including tolerance, dependence, gastrointestinal dysfunction, cognitive impairment, and a narrow therapeutic window, making the search for novel analgesics ever more important. In this article, we review the role of an important endogenous pain control system, the endocannabinoid (EC) system, in the sensory, emotional, and cognitive aspects of pain. Herein, we briefly cover the discovery of the EC system and its role in pain processing pathways, before concentrating on three areas of current major interest in EC pain research; 1. Pharmacological enhancement of endocannabinoid activity (via blockade of EC metabolism or allosteric modulation of CB1receptors); 2. The EC System and stress-induced modulation of pain; and 3. The EC system & medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) dysfunction in pain states. Whilst we focus predominantly on the preclinical data, we also include extensive discussion of recent clinical failures of endocannabinoid-related therapies, the future potential of these approaches, and important directions for future research on the EC system and pain. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "A New Dawn in Cannabinoid Neurobiology".
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen G Woodhams
- Arthritis UK Pain Centre, School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom.
| | - Victoria Chapman
- Arthritis UK Pain Centre, School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - David P Finn
- Pharmacology & Therapeutics, School of Medicine, Galway Neuroscience Centre and Centre for Pain Research, NCBES, National University of Ireland Galway, University Road, Galway, Ireland
| | - Andrea G Hohmann
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA; Program in Neuroscience, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA; Interdisciplinary Biochemistry Graduate Program, Department of Molecular and Cellular Biochemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA; Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - Volker Neugebauer
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, Center of Excellence for Translational Neuroscience and Therapeutics, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX 79430, USA
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Buntyn RW, Alugubelly N, Hybart RL, Mohammed AN, Nail CA, Parker GC, Ross MK, Carr RL. Inhibition of Endocannabinoid-Metabolizing Enzymes in Peripheral Tissues Following Developmental Chlorpyrifos Exposure in Rats. Int J Toxicol 2017; 36:395-402. [PMID: 28820005 DOI: 10.1177/1091581817725272] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Repeated developmental exposure to the organophosphate (OP) insecticide chlorpyrifos (CPF) inhibits brain fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) activity at low levels, whereas at higher levels, it inhibits brain monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) activity. FAAH and MAGL hydrolyze the endocannabinoids anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonylglycerol (2-AG), respectively. Peripherally, AEA and 2-AG have physiological roles in the regulation of lipid metabolism and immune function, and altering the normal levels of these lipid mediators can negatively affect these processes. Exposure to CPF alters brain endocannabinoid hydrolysis activity, but it is unclear whether low-level exposure alters this activity in peripheral tissues important in metabolic and immune function. Therefore, rat pups were exposed orally from day 10 to 16 to 0.5, 0.75, or 1.0 mg/kg CPF or 0.02 mg/kg PF-04457845 (a specific FAAH inhibitor). At 12 hours postexposure, FAAH, MAGL, and cholinesterase (ChE) activities were determined. All treatments inhibited FAAH activity in brain, spleen, and liver. CPF inhibited ChE activity in spleen and liver (all dosages) and in brain (highest dosage only). CPF inhibited total 2-AG hydrolysis and MAGL-specific activity in brain and spleen (high dosage only). In liver, total 2-AG hydrolysis was inhibited by all treatments and could be attributed to inhibition of non-MAGL-mediated 2-AG hydrolysis, indicating involvement of other enzymes. MAGL-specific activity in liver was inhibited only by the high CPF dosage, whereas PF-04457845 slightly increased this activity. Overall, exposure to low levels of CPF and to PF-04457845 can alter endocannabinoid metabolism in peripheral tissues, thus potentially affecting physiological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert W Buntyn
- 1 Department of Basic Sciences, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS, USA
| | - Navatha Alugubelly
- 1 Department of Basic Sciences, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS, USA
| | - Rachel L Hybart
- 1 Department of Basic Sciences, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS, USA
| | - Afzaal N Mohammed
- 1 Department of Basic Sciences, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS, USA
| | - Carole A Nail
- 1 Department of Basic Sciences, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS, USA
| | - Greta C Parker
- 1 Department of Basic Sciences, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS, USA
| | - Matthew K Ross
- 1 Department of Basic Sciences, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS, USA
| | - Russell L Carr
- 1 Department of Basic Sciences, Center for Environmental Health Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, MS, USA
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Compensatory Activation of Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor Inhibition of GABA Release in the Rostral Ventromedial Medulla in Inflammatory Pain. J Neurosci 2017; 37:626-636. [PMID: 28100744 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.1310-16.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) is a relay in the descending pain modulatory system and an important site of endocannabinoid modulation of pain. Endocannabinoids inhibit GABA release in the RVM, but it is not known whether this effect persists in chronic pain states. In the present studies, persistent inflammation induced by complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) increased GABAergic miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs). Endocannabinoid activation of cannabinoid (CB1) receptors known to inhibit presynaptic GABA release was significantly reduced in the RVM of CFA-treated rats compared with naive rats. The reduction in CFA-treated rats correlated with decreased CB1 receptor protein expression and function in the RVM. Paradoxically, the nonselective CB1/CB2 receptor agonist WIN55212 inhibited GABAergic mIPSCs in both naive and CFA-treated rats. However, WIN55212 inhibition was reversed by the CB1 receptor antagonist rimonabant in naive rats but not in CFA-treated rats. WIN55212-mediated inhibition in CFA-treated rats was blocked by the CB2 receptor-selective antagonist SR144528, indicating that CB2 receptor function in the RVM is increased during persistent inflammation. Consistent with these results, CB2 receptor agonists AM1241 and GW405833 inhibited GABAergic mIPSC frequency only in CFA-treated rats, and the inhibition was reversed with SR144528. When administered alone, SR144528 and another CB2 receptor-selective antagonist AM630 increased mIPSC frequency in the RVM of CFA-treated rats, indicating that CB2 receptors are tonically activated by endocannabinoids. Our data provide evidence that CB2 receptor function emerges in the RVM in persistent inflammation and that selective CB2 receptor agonists may be useful for treatment of persistent inflammatory pain. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT These studies demonstrate that endocannabinoid signaling to CB1 and CB2 receptors in adult rostral ventromedial medulla is altered in persistent inflammation. The emergence of CB2 receptor function in the rostral ventromedial medulla provides additional rationale for the development of CB2 receptor-selective agonists as useful therapeutics for chronic inflammatory pain.
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Barrie N, Kuruppu V, Manolios E, Ali M, Moghaddam M, Manolios N. Endocannabinoids in arthritis: current views and perspective. Int J Rheum Dis 2017; 20:789-797. [DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.13146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Barrie
- Department of Rheumatology; Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
| | - Vindhya Kuruppu
- Department of Rheumatology; Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
| | | | - Marina Ali
- Department of Dermatology; Westmead Hospital; Sydney Australia
| | | | - Nicholas Manolios
- Department of Rheumatology; Westmead Hospital and University of Sydney; Sydney Australia
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Taha O, Opitz T, Mueller M, Pitsch J, Becker A, Evert BO, Beck H, Jeub M. Neuropathic pain in experimental autoimmune neuritis is associated with altered electrophysiological properties of nociceptive DRG neurons. Exp Neurol 2017; 297:25-35. [PMID: 28734788 DOI: 10.1016/j.expneurol.2017.07.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2017] [Revised: 07/02/2017] [Accepted: 07/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute, immune-mediated polyradiculoneuropathy characterized by rapidly progressive paresis and sensory disturbances. Moderate to severe and often intractable neuropathic pain is a common symptom of GBS, but its underlying mechanisms are unknown. Pathology of GBS is classically attributed to demyelination of large, myelinated peripheral fibers. However, there is increasing evidence that neuropathic pain in GBS is associated with impaired function of small, unmyelinated, nociceptive fibers. We therefore examined the functional properties of small DRG neurons, the somata of nociceptive fibers, in a rat model of GBS (experimental autoimmune neuritis=EAN). EAN rats developed behavioral signs of neuropathic pain. This was accompanied by a significant shortening of action potentials due to a more rapid repolarization and an increase in repetitive firing in a subgroup of capsaicin-responsive DRG neurons. Na+ current measurements revealed a significant increase of the fast TTX-sensitive current and a reduction of the persistent TTX-sensitive current component. These changes of Na+ currents may account for the significant decrease in AP duration leading to an overall increase in excitability and are therefore possibly directly linked to pathological pain behavior. Thus, like in other animal models of neuropathic and inflammatory pain, Na+ channels seem to be crucially involved in the pathology of GBS and may constitute promising targets for pain modulating pharmaceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omneya Taha
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund Freud Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany; Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund Freud Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Thoralf Opitz
- Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund Freud Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Marcus Mueller
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund Freud Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Julika Pitsch
- Department of Neuropathology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund Freud Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Albert Becker
- Department of Neuropathology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund Freud Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Bernd Oliver Evert
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund Freud Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Heinz Beck
- Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund Freud Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany
| | - Monika Jeub
- Department of Neurology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund Freud Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany; Department of Epileptology, University of Bonn Medical Center, Sigmund Freud Straße 25, 53105 Bonn, Germany.
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