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Rivi V, Rigillo G, Batabyal A, Lukowiak K, Pani L, Tascedda F, Benatti C, Blom JMC. Different stressors uniquely affect the expression of endocannabinoid-metabolizing enzymes in the central ring ganglia of Lymnaea stagnalis. J Neurochem 2024. [PMID: 38922726 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.16147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2024] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) plays an important role in neuroprotection, neuroplasticity, energy balance, modulation of stress, and inflammatory responses, acting as a critical link between the brain and the body's peripheral regions, while also offering promising potential for novel therapeutic strategies. Unfortunately, in humans, pharmacological inhibitors of different ECS enzymes have led to mixed results in both preclinical and clinical studies. As the ECS has been highly conserved throughout the eukaryotic lineage, the use of invertebrate model organisms like the pond snail Lymnaea stagnalis may provide a flexible tool to unravel unexplored functions of the ECS at the cellular, synaptic, and behavioral levels. In this study, starting from the available genome and transcriptome of L. stagnalis, we first identified putative transcripts of all ECS enzymes containing an open reading frame. Each predicted protein possessed a high degree of sequence conservation to known orthologues of other invertebrate and vertebrate organisms. Sequences were confirmed by qualitative PCR and sequencing. Then, we investigated the transcriptional effects induced by different stress conditions (i.e., bacterial LPS injection, predator scent, food deprivation, and acute heat shock) on the expression levels of the enzymes of the ECS in Lymnaea's central ring ganglia. Our results suggest that in Lymnaea as in rodents, the ECS is involved in mediating inflammatory and anxiety-like responses, promoting energy balance, and responding to acute stressors. To our knowledge, this study offers the most comprehensive analysis so far of the ECS in an invertebrate model organism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Veronica Rivi
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Giovanna Rigillo
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Anuradha Batabyal
- Department of Physical and Natural Sciences, FLAME University, Pune, India
| | - Ken Lukowiak
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Luca Pani
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA
| | - Fabio Tascedda
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- CIB, Consorzio Interuniversitario Biotecnologie, Trieste, Italy
| | - Cristina Benatti
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Johanna M C Blom
- Department of Biomedical, Metabolic and Neural Sciences, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
- Centre of Neuroscience and Neurotechnology, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
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2
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Zhao H, Liu Y, Cai N, Liao X, Tang L, Wang Y. Endocannabinoid Hydrolase Inhibitors: Potential Novel Anxiolytic Drugs. Drug Des Devel Ther 2024; 18:2143-2167. [PMID: 38882045 PMCID: PMC11179644 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s462785] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the past decade, the idea of targeting the endocannabinoid system to treat anxiety disorders has received increasing attention. Previous studies focused more on developing cannabinoid receptor agonists or supplementing exogenous cannabinoids, which are prone to various adverse effects due to their strong pharmacological activity and poor receptor selectivity, limiting their application in clinical research. Endocannabinoid hydrolase inhibitors are considered to be the most promising development strategies for the treatment of anxiety disorders. More recent efforts have emphasized that inhibition of two major endogenous cannabinoid hydrolases, monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), indirectly activates cannabinoid receptors by increasing endogenous cannabinoid levels in the synaptic gap, circumventing receptor desensitization resulting from direct enhancement of endogenous cannabinoid signaling. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the anxiolytic effects of MAGL and FAAH inhibitors and their potential pharmacological mechanisms, highlight reported novel inhibitors or natural products, and provide an outlook on future directions in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongqing Zhao
- Science & Technology Innovation Center, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention & Treatment of Depressive Diseases, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yang Liu
- Science & Technology Innovation Center, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention & Treatment of Depressive Diseases, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Na Cai
- Outpatient Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaolin Liao
- Science & Technology Innovation Center, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention & Treatment of Depressive Diseases, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Lin Tang
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention & Treatment of Depressive Diseases, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Department of Pharmacy, the First Affiliated Hospital of Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuhong Wang
- Science & Technology Innovation Center, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
- Hunan Key Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Prevention & Treatment of Depressive Diseases, Changsha, Hunan, People’s Republic of China
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3
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Xue T, Ma RH, Xu C, Sun B, Yan DF, Liu XM, Gao D, Li ZH, Gao Y, Wang CZ. The endocannabinoid system is involved in the anxiety-like behavior induced by dual-frequency 2.65/0.8 GHz electromagnetic radiation in mice. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 17:1366855. [PMID: 38685914 PMCID: PMC11057378 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2024.1366855] [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: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
As wireless communication devices gain popularity, concerns about the potential risks of environmental exposure to complex frequency electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on mental health have become a public health issue. Historically, EMR research has predominantly focused on single- frequency electromagnetic waves, neglecting the study of multi-frequency electromagnetic waves, which more accurately represent everyday life. To address these concerns, our study compared the emotional effects of single-frequency and dual-frequency EMR while exploring potential molecular mechanisms and intervention targets. Our results revealed that single-frequency EMR at 2.65 or 0.8 GHz did not induce anxiety-like behavior in mice. However, exposure to dual-frequency EMR at 2.65/0.8 GHz significantly led to anxiety-like behavior in mice. Further analysis of mouse sera revealed substantial increases in corticosterone and corticotrophin releasing hormone levels following exposure to 2.65/0.8 GHz EMR. Transcriptome sequencing indicated a significant decrease in the expression of Cnr1, encoding cannabinoid receptor 1 Type (CB1R), in the cerebral. This finding was consistently verified through western blot analysis, revealing a substantial reduction in CB1R content. Additionally, a significant decrease in the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol was observed in the cerebral cortex. Remarkably, administering the cannabinoid receptor agonist Win55-212-2 significantly alleviated the anxiety-like behavior, and the cannabinoid receptor antagonist AM251 effectively counteracted the anti-anxiety effects of Win55-212-2. In summary, our research confirmed that dual-frequency EMR is more likely to induce anxiety-like behavior in mice than single-frequency EMR, with implications for the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and the endocannabinoid system. Furthermore, our findings suggest that Win55-212-2 may represent a novel avenue for researching and developing anti-EMR drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Teng Xue
- Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Beijing Institute of Radiation and Medicine, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Rui-Han Ma
- Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Beijing Institute of Radiation and Medicine, Beijing, China
- School of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, Hebei, China
| | - Chou Xu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, The 983rd Hospital of the Joint Logistics Support Force of PLA, Tianjin, China
- Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Bin Sun
- Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Beijing Institute of Radiation and Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Dong-Fei Yan
- Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Beijing Institute of Radiation and Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Man Liu
- Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Beijing Institute of Radiation and Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Dawen Gao
- Center of Cognition and Brain Science, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Zhi-Hui Li
- Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Beijing Institute of Radiation and Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Gao
- Center of Cognition and Brain Science, Beijing Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Chang-Zhen Wang
- Laboratory of Bioelectromagnetics, Beijing Institute of Radiation and Medicine, Beijing, China
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Scheyer A, Yasmin F, Naskar S, Patel S. Endocannabinoids at the synapse and beyond: implications for neuropsychiatric disease pathophysiology and treatment. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:37-53. [PMID: 36100658 PMCID: PMC9700791 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01438-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids (eCBs) are lipid neuromodulators that suppress neurotransmitter release, reduce postsynaptic excitability, activate astrocyte signaling, and control cellular respiration. Here, we describe canonical and emerging eCB signaling modes and aim to link adaptations in these signaling systems to pathological states. Adaptations in eCB signaling systems have been identified in a variety of biobehavioral and physiological process relevant to neuropsychiatric disease states including stress-related disorders, epilepsy, developmental disorders, obesity, and substance use disorders. These insights have enhanced our understanding of the pathophysiology of neurological and psychiatric disorders and are contributing to the ongoing development of eCB-targeting therapeutics. We suggest future studies aimed at illuminating how adaptations in canonical as well as emerging cellular and synaptic modes of eCB signaling contribute to disease pathophysiology or resilience could further advance these novel treatment approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Farhana Yasmin
- Northwestern Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Saptarnab Naskar
- Northwestern Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA
| | - Sachin Patel
- Northwestern Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Chicago, IL, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 60611, USA.
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5
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New Insights into the Identity of the DFNA58 Gene. Genes (Basel) 2022; 13:genes13122274. [PMID: 36553541 PMCID: PMC9777997 DOI: 10.3390/genes13122274] [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: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Hearing loss is the most common sensory deficit, affecting 466 million people worldwide. The vast and diverse genes involved reflect the complexity of auditory physiology, which requires the use of animal models in order to gain a fuller understanding. Among the loci with a yet-to-be validated gene is the DFNA58, in which ~200 Kb genomic duplication, including three protein-coding genes (PLEK, CNRIP1, and PPP3R1's exon1), was found to segregate with autosomal dominant hearing loss. Through whole genome sequencing, the duplication was found to be in tandem and inserted in an intergenic region, without the disruption of the topological domains. Reanalysis of transcriptomes data studies (zebrafish and mouse), and RT-qPCR analysis of adult zebrafish target organs, in order to access their orthologues expression, highlighted promising results with Cnrip1a, corroborated by zebrafish in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence. Mouse data also suggested Cnrip1 as the best candidate for a relevant role in auditory physiology, and its importance in hearing seems to have remained conserved but the cell type exerting its function might have changed, from hair cells to spiral ganglion neurons.
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6
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Bahceci D, Anderson LL, Kevin RC, Doohan PT, Arnold JC. Hyperthermia-Induced Seizures Enhance Brain Concentrations of the Endocannabinoid-Related Linoleoyl Glycerols in a Scn1a+/- Mouse Model of Dravet Syndrome. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2022. [PMID: 36269656 DOI: 10.1089/can.2022.0145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: The endocannabinoid system contributes to the homeostatic response to seizure activity in epilepsy, a disease of brain hyperexcitability. Indeed, studies using conventional epilepsy models have shown that seizures increase endocannabinoids in the brain. However, it is unknown whether endocannabinoids and structurally related fatty acid amides and monoacylglycerols are similarly released in response to acute seizures in animal models of drug-resistant epilepsy. Therefore, in this study, we investigated whether a hyperthermia-induced seizure increased concentrations of endocannabinoids and related signaling lipids in the Scn1a+/- mouse model of Dravet syndrome. Materials and Methods: We compared hippocampal concentrations of the major endocannabinoids and related monoglycerols and N-acylethanolamines in wild-type mice, naïve Scn1a+/- mice, and Scn1a+/- mice primed with a single, hyperthermia-induced, generalized tonic-clonic seizure. Samples were collected 5 and 60 min following the seizure and then analyzed with LC-MS/MS. Results: We found that a hyperthermia-induced seizure in Scn1a+/- mice did not affect hippocampal concentrations of the major endocannabinoids, 2-AG and anandamide, or the N-acylethanolamines studied, although the sampling of tissue 5 min postseizure may have been too late to capture any effect on these lipids. Heterozygous deletion of Scn1a alone did not affect these lipid signaling molecules. Notably, however, we found that a hyperthermia-induced seizure significantly increased hippocampal concentrations of the monoacylglycerols, 2-linoleoyl glycerol (2-LG) and 1-linoleoyl glycerol (1-LG), in Scn1a+/- mice. Conclusions: Our results show the unprecedented elevation of the lesser-studied endocannabinoid-related monoacylglycerols, 2-LG and 1-LG, following a hyperthermia-induced seizure in a mouse model of Dravet syndrome. Future research is needed to comprehensively explore the function of these lipid signaling molecules during seizure activity and whether their actions can be exploited to develop new therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilara Bahceci
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Camperdown , Australia.,Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.,Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Lyndsey L Anderson
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Camperdown , Australia.,Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.,Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Richard C Kevin
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Camperdown , Australia.,Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.,Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Peter T Doohan
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Camperdown , Australia.,Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.,Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
| | - Jonathon C Arnold
- Lambert Initiative for Cannabinoid Therapeutics, The University of Sydney, Camperdown , Australia.,Discipline of Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia.,Brain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, Australia
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7
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Sugaya Y, Kano M. Endocannabinoid-Mediated Control of Neural Circuit Excitability and Epileptic Seizures. Front Neural Circuits 2022; 15:781113. [PMID: 35046779 PMCID: PMC8762319 DOI: 10.3389/fncir.2021.781113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Research on endocannabinoid signaling has greatly advanced our understanding of how the excitability of neural circuits is controlled in health and disease. In general, endocannabinoid signaling at excitatory synapses suppresses excitability by inhibiting glutamate release, while that at inhibitory synapses promotes excitability by inhibiting GABA release, although there are some exceptions in genetically epileptic animal models. In the epileptic brain, the physiological distributions of endocannabinoid signaling molecules are disrupted during epileptogenesis, contributing to the occurrence of spontaneous seizures. However, it is still unknown how endocannabinoid signaling changes during seizures and how the redistribution of endocannabinoid signaling molecules proceeds during epileptogenesis. Recent development of cannabinoid sensors has enabled us to investigate endocannabinoid signaling in much greater spatial and temporal details than before. Application of cannabinoid sensors to epilepsy research has elucidated activity-dependent changes in endocannabinoid signaling during seizures. Furthermore, recent endocannabinoid research has paved the way for the clinical use of cannabidiol for the treatment of refractory epilepsy, such as Dravet syndrome, Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and tuberous sclerosis complex. Cannabidiol significantly reduces seizures and is considered to have comparable tolerability to conventional antiepileptic drugs. In this article, we introduce recent advances in research on the roles of endocannabinoid signaling in epileptic seizures and discuss future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Sugaya
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Masanobu Kano
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Masanobu Kano,
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8
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Yang X, Guo JY, Jiang YN, Liu MM, Li QY, Li JY, Wei XJ, Wan GH, Shi JL. Valeriana jatamansi Jones ex Roxb. Against Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Network Pharmacological Analysis, and In Vivo Evaluation. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:764548. [PMID: 34950028 PMCID: PMC8688958 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.764548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 11/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Zhi zhu xiang (ZZX) is the root and rhizome of Valeriana jatamansi Jones ex Roxb. Recent studies have shown that ZZX can exert antianxiety, antidepressant, and sedative effects. Because post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is similar to depression and anxiety in terms of its etiology, pathogenesis, and clinical manifestations, it is possible that ZZX may also be useful for the prevention and treatment of PTSD. In this study, a mouse model of PTSD was established and used to study the pharmacological action of a 95% ethanol extract of ZZX on PTSD via a series of classic behavioral tests. We found that a 95% ethanol extract of ZZX was indeed effective for relieving the symptoms of PTSD in mice. Moreover, network pharmacology analysis was used to predict the potential active ingredients, targets, and possible pathways of ZZX in the treatment of PTSD. The neurotransmitter system, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and the endocannabinoid (eCB) system were identified to be the most likely pathways for anti-PTSD action in ZZX. Due to the lack of a falsification mechanism in network pharmacology, in vivo tests were carried out in mice, and the expression levels of neurotransmitters, hormones, and genes of key targets were detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and real-time PCR to further verify this inference. Analysis showed that the levels of norepinephrine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and glutamic acid were increased in the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, and amygdala of PTSD mice, while the levels of dopamine and γ-aminobutyric acid were decreased in these brain regions; furthermore, ZZX could restore the expression of these factors, at least to a certain extent. The levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone, corticosterone, and corticotropin-releasing hormone were increased in these different brain regions and the serum of PTSD mice; these effects could be reversed by ZZX to a certain extent. The expression levels of cannabinoid receptor 1 and diacylglycerol lipase α mRNA were decreased in PTSD mice, while the levels of fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase mRNA were increased; these effects were restored by ZZX to a certain extent. In conclusion, our findings suggest that ZZX may provide new therapeutic pathways for treating PTSD by the regulation of neurotransmitters, the HPA, and expression levels of eCB-related genes in the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Yang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jian-You Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ya-Ni Jiang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Meng-Meng Liu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Qiu-Yu Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Yuan Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jia Wei
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Guo-Hui Wan
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Jin-Li Shi
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, China
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9
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Petrie GN, Nastase AS, Aukema RJ, Hill MN. Endocannabinoids, cannabinoids and the regulation of anxiety. Neuropharmacology 2021; 195:108626. [PMID: 34116110 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2021.108626] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 05/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis has been used for hundreds of years, with its ability to dampen feelings of anxiety often reported as a primary reason for use. Only recently has the specific role cannabinoids play in anxiety been thoroughly investigated. Here we discuss the body of evidence describing how endocannabinoids and exogenous cannabinoids are capable of regulating the generation and termination of anxiety states. Disruption of the endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) system following genetic manipulation, pharmacological intervention or stress exposure reliably leads to the generation of an anxiety state. On the other hand, upregulation of eCB signaling is capable of alleviating anxiety-like behaviors in multiple paradigms. When considering exogenous cannabinoid administration, cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) agonists have a biphasic, dose-dependent effect on anxiety such that low doses are anxiolytic while high doses are anxiogenic, a phenomenon that is evident in both rodent models and humans. Translational studies investigating a loss of function mutation in the gene for fatty acid amide hydrolase, the enzyme responsible for metabolizing AEA, have also shown that AEA signaling regulates anxiety in humans. Taken together, evidence reviewed here has outlined a convincing argument for cannabinoids being powerful regulators of both the manifestation and amelioration of anxiety symptoms, and highlights the therapeutic potential of targeting the eCB system for the development of novel classes of anxiolytics. This article is part of the special issue on 'Cannabinoids'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gavin N Petrie
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Andrei S Nastase
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Robert J Aukema
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada
| | - Matthew N Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and the Mathison Centre for Mental Health Education and Research, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N 1N4, Canada.
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10
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Fuerte-Hortigón A, Gonçalves J, Zeballos L, Masa R, Gómez-Nieto R, López DE. Distribution of the Cannabinoid Receptor Type 1 in the Brain of the Genetically Audiogenic Seizure-Prone Hamster GASH/Sal. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 15:613798. [PMID: 33841106 PMCID: PMC8024637 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2021.613798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system modulates epileptic seizures by regulating neuronal excitability. It has become clear that agonist activation of central type I cannabinoid receptors (CB1R) reduces epileptogenesis in pre-clinical animal models of epilepsy. The audiogenic seizure-prone hamster GASH/Sal is a reliable experimental model of generalized tonic-clonic seizures in response to intense sound stimulation. However, no studies hitherto had investigated CB1R in the GASH/Sal. Although the distribution of CB1R has been extensively studied in mammalian brains, their distribution in the Syrian golden hamster brain also remains unknown. The objective of this research is to determine by immunohistochemistry the differential distribution of CB1R in the brains of GASH/Sal animals under seizure-free conditions, by comparing the results with wild-type Syrian hamsters as controls. CB1R in the GASH/Sal showed a wide distribution in many nuclei of the central nervous system. These patterns of CB1R-immunolabeling are practically identical between the GASH/Sal model and control animals, varying in the intensity of immunostaining in certain regions, being slightly weaker in the GASH/Sal than in the control, mainly in brain regions associated with epileptic networks. The RT-qPCR analysis confirms these results. In summary, our study provides an anatomical basis for further investigating CB1R in acute and kindling audiogenic seizure protocols in the GASH/Sal model as well as exploring CB1R activation via exogenously administered cannabinoid compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejando Fuerte-Hortigón
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Department of Neurology, Virgen Macarena Hospital, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Jaime Gonçalves
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Laura Zeballos
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Rubén Masa
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ricardo Gómez-Nieto
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Dolores E López
- Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y León, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain.,Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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11
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Cannabis use and posttraumatic stress disorder comorbidity: Epidemiology, biology and the potential for novel treatment approaches. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2021; 157:143-193. [PMID: 33648669 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2020.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis use is increasing among some demographics in the United States and is tightly linked to anxiety, trauma, and stress reactivity at the epidemiological and biological level. Stress-coping motives are highly cited reasons for cannabis use. However, with increased cannabis use comes the increased susceptibility for cannabis use disorder (CUD). Indeed, CUD is highly comorbid with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Importantly, endogenous cannabinoid signaling systems play a key role in the regulation of stress reactivity and anxiety regulation, and preclinical data suggest deficiencies in this signaling system could contribute to the development of stress-related psychopathology. Furthermore, endocannabinoid deficiency states, either pre-existing or induced by trauma exposure, could provide explanatory insights into the high rates of comorbid cannabis use in patients with PTSD. Here we review clinical and preclinical literature related to the cannabis use-PTSD comorbidity, the role of endocannabinoids in the regulation of stress reactivity, and potential therapeutic implications of recent work in this area.
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12
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Longaretti A, Forastieri C, Toffolo E, Caffino L, Locarno A, Misevičiūtė I, Marchesi E, Battistin M, Ponzoni L, Madaschi L, Cambria C, Bonasoni MP, Sala M, Perrone D, Fumagalli F, Bassani S, Antonucci F, Tonini R, Francolini M, Battaglioli E, Rusconi F. LSD1 is an environmental stress-sensitive negative modulator of the glutamatergic synapse. Neurobiol Stress 2020; 13:100280. [PMID: 33457471 PMCID: PMC7794663 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2020.100280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2020] [Revised: 11/19/2020] [Accepted: 11/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Along with neuronal mechanisms devoted to memory consolidation –including long term potentiation of synaptic strength as prominent electrophysiological correlate, and inherent dendritic spines stabilization as structural counterpart– negative control of memory formation and synaptic plasticity has been described at the molecular and behavioral level. Within this work, we report a role for the epigenetic corepressor Lysine Specific Demethylase 1 (LSD1) as a negative neuroplastic factor whose stress-enhanced activity may participate in coping with adverse experiences. Constitutively increasing LSD1 activity via knocking out its dominant negative splicing isoform neuroLSD1 (neuroLSD1KO mice), we observed extensive structural, functional and behavioral signs of excitatory decay, including disrupted memory consolidation. A similar LSD1 increase, obtained with acute antisense oligonucleotide-mediated neuroLSD1 splicing knock down in primary neuronal cultures, dampens spontaneous glutamatergic transmission, reducing mEPSCs. Remarkably, LSD1 physiological increase occurs in response to psychosocial stress-induced glutamatergic signaling. Since this mechanism entails neuroLSD1 splicing downregulation, we conclude that LSD1/neuroLSD1 ratio modulation in the hippocampus is instrumental to a negative homeostatic feedback, restraining glutamatergic neuroplasticity in response to glutamate. The active process of forgetting provides memories with salience. With our work, we propose that softening memory traces of adversities could further represent a stress-coping process in which LSD1/neuroLSD1 ratio modulation may help preserving healthy emotional references.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Longaretti
- Dept. of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via F.lli Cervi, 93, Segrate (MI), Italy
| | - C Forastieri
- Dept. of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via F.lli Cervi, 93, Segrate (MI), Italy
| | - E Toffolo
- Dept. of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via F.lli Cervi, 93, Segrate (MI), Italy
| | - L Caffino
- Dept. of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti, 9, Milano, Italy
| | - A Locarno
- Neuromodulation of Cortical and Subcortical Circuits Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morengo, 30, Genova, 16163, Italy
| | - I Misevičiūtė
- Neuromodulation of Cortical and Subcortical Circuits Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morengo, 30, Genova, 16163, Italy
| | - E Marchesi
- Dept. of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università di Ferrara, Via Borsari, 46, Ferrara, Italy
| | - M Battistin
- Dept. of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via F.lli Cervi, 93, Segrate (MI), Italy
| | - L Ponzoni
- Institute of Neuroscience, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Vanvitelli, 32, Milan, Italy
| | - L Madaschi
- UNITECH NO LIMITS, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Celoria, 26, Milan, Italy
| | - C Cambria
- Dept. of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via F.lli Cervi, 93, Segrate (MI), Italy
| | - M P Bonasoni
- ASMN Santa Maria Nuova Via Risorgimento, 80 Reggio Emilia, Italy
| | - M Sala
- Institute of Neuroscience, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Vanvitelli, 32, Milan, Italy
| | - D Perrone
- Dept. of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università di Ferrara, Via Borsari, 46, Ferrara, Italy
| | - F Fumagalli
- Dept. of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti, 9, Milano, Italy
| | - S Bassani
- Institute of Neuroscience, Consiglio Nazionale Delle Ricerche (CNR), Via Vanvitelli, 32, Milan, Italy
| | - F Antonucci
- Dept. of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via F.lli Cervi, 93, Segrate (MI), Italy
| | - R Tonini
- Neuromodulation of Cortical and Subcortical Circuits Laboratory, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morengo, 30, Genova, 16163, Italy
| | - M Francolini
- Dept. of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via F.lli Cervi, 93, Segrate (MI), Italy
| | - E Battaglioli
- Dept. of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via F.lli Cervi, 93, Segrate (MI), Italy
| | - F Rusconi
- Dept. of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università Degli Studi di Milano, Via F.lli Cervi, 93, Segrate (MI), Italy
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13
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Italia M, Forastieri C, Longaretti A, Battaglioli E, Rusconi F. Rationale, Relevance, and Limits of Stress-Induced Psychopathology in Rodents as Models for Psychiatry Research: An Introductory Overview. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E7455. [PMID: 33050350 PMCID: PMC7589795 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21207455] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Emotional and cognitive information processing represent higher-order brain functions. They require coordinated interaction of specialized brain areas via a complex spatial and temporal equilibrium among neuronal cell-autonomous, circuitry, and network mechanisms. The delicate balance can be corrupted by stressful experiences, increasing the risk of developing psychopathologies in vulnerable individuals. Neuropsychiatric disorders affect twenty percent of the western world population, but therapies are still not effective for some patients. Elusive knowledge of molecular pathomechanisms and scarcity of objective biomarkers in humans present complex challenges, while the adoption of rodent models helps to improve our understanding of disease correlate and aids the search for novel pharmacological targets. Stress administration represents a strategy to induce, trace, and modify molecular and behavioral endophenotypes of mood disorders in animals. However, a mouse or rat model will only display one or a few endophenotypes of a specific human psychopathology, which cannot be in any case recapitulated as a whole. To override this issue, shared criteria have been adopted to deconstruct neuropsychiatric disorders, i.e., depression, into specific behavioral aspects, and inherent neurobiological substrates, also recognizable in lower mammals. In this work, we provide a rationale for rodent models of stress administration. In particular, comparing each rodent model with a real-life human traumatic experience, we intend to suggest an introductive guide to better comprehend and interpret these paradigms.
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Bedse G, Hill MN, Patel S. 2-Arachidonoylglycerol Modulation of Anxiety and Stress Adaptation: From Grass Roots to Novel Therapeutics. Biol Psychiatry 2020; 88:520-530. [PMID: 32197779 PMCID: PMC7486996 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2020.01.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2019] [Revised: 10/31/2019] [Accepted: 01/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Over the past decade there has been a surge of interest in the development of endocannabinoid-based therapeutic approaches for the treatment of diverse neuropsychiatric conditions. Although initial preclinical and clinical development efforts focused on pharmacological inhibition of fatty acid amide hydrolase to elevate levels of the endocannabinoid anandamide, more recent efforts have focused on inhibition of monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) to enhance signaling of the most abundant and efficacious endocannabinoid ligand, 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). We review the biochemistry and physiology of 2-AG signaling and preclinical evidence supporting a role for this system in the regulation of anxiety-related outcomes and stress adaptation. We review preclinical evidence supporting MAGL inhibition for the treatment of affective, trauma-related, and stress-related disorders; describe the current state of MAGL inhibitor drug development; and discuss biological factors that could affect MAGL inhibitor efficacy. Issues related to the clinical advancement of MAGL inhibitors are also discussed. We are cautiously optimistic, as the field of MAGL inhibitor development transitions from preclinical to clinical and theoretical to practical, that pharmacological 2-AG augmentation could represent a mechanistically novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of affective and stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaurav Bedse
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
| | - Mathew N Hill
- Department of Cell Biology, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Mathison Center for Mental Health Research and Education, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada; Department of Anatomy and Psychiatry, Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Mathison Center for Mental Health Research and Education, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
| | - Sachin Patel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee; Department of Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
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15
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Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is a highly versatile signaling system within the nervous system. Despite its widespread localization, its functions within the context of distinct neural processes are very well discernable and specific. This is remarkable, and the question remains as to how such specificity is achieved. One key player in the ECS is the cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1), a G protein-coupled receptor characterized by the complexity of its cell-specific expression, cellular and subcellular localization, and its adaptable regulation of intracellular signaling cascades. CB1 receptors are involved in different synaptic and cellular plasticity processes and in the brain's bioenergetics in a context-specific manner. CB2 receptors are also important in several processes in neurons, glial cells, and immune cells of the brain. As polymorphisms in ECS components, as well as external impacts such as stress and metabolic challenges, can both lead to dysregulated ECS activity and subsequently to possible neuropsychiatric disorders, pharmacological intervention targeting the ECS is a promising therapeutic approach. Understanding the neurobiology of cannabinoid receptor signaling in depth will aid optimal design of therapeutic interventions, minimizing unwanted side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beat Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
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16
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Endocannabinoid-Epigenetic Cross-Talk: A Bridge toward Stress Coping. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176252. [PMID: 32872402 PMCID: PMC7504015 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
There is no argument with regard to the physical and psychological stress-related nature of neuropsychiatric disorders. Yet, the mechanisms that facilitate disease onset starting from molecular stress responses are elusive. Environmental stress challenges individuals’ equilibrium, enhancing homeostatic request in the attempt to steer down arousal-instrumental molecular pathways that underlie hypervigilance and anxiety. A relevant homeostatic pathway is the endocannabinoid system (ECS). In this review, we summarize recent discoveries unambiguously listing ECS as a stress coping mechanism. As stress evokes huge excitatory responses in emotional-relevant limbic areas, the ECS limits glutamate release via 2-arachydonilglycerol (2-AG) stress-induced synthesis and retrograde cannabinoid 1 (CB1)-receptor activation at the synapse. However, ECS shows intrinsic vulnerability as 2-AG overstimulation by chronic stress rapidly leads to CB1-receptor desensitization. In this review, we emphasize the protective role of 2-AG in stress-response termination and stress resiliency. Interestingly, we discuss ECS regulation with a further nuclear homeostatic system whose nature is exquisitely epigenetic, orchestrated by Lysine Specific Demethylase 1. We here emphasize a remarkable example of stress-coping network where transcriptional homeostasis subserves synaptic and behavioral adaptation, aiming at reducing psychiatric effects of traumatic experiences.
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Rocha L, Cinar R, Guevara-Guzmán R, Alonso-Vanegas M, San-Juan D, Martínez-Juárez I, Castañeda-Cabral JL, Carmona-Cruz F. Endocannabinoid System and Cannabinoid 1 Receptors in Patients With Pharmacoresistant Temporal Lobe Epilepsy and Comorbid Mood Disorders. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:52. [PMID: 32435186 PMCID: PMC7218130 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Experimental evidence points out that the activation of the endocannabinoid system induces neuroprotective effects and reduces mood disorders. In the hippocampus of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE), studies indicated augmented cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) binding, in spite of its low mRNA and protein expressions. Although this situation suggests an enhanced CB1R-induced neurotransmission in patients with MTLE, especially those with pharmacoresistant seizures, which present important neuronal damage and high comorbid mood disorders. The present study focused to investigate the status of CB1R and the endocannabinoid system by obtaining CB1R-induced G-protein signaling efficacy and measuring the tissue levels of endocannabinoids in the hippocampus and the temporal neocortex of patients with pharmacoresistant MTLE. Furthermore, the obtained results were correlated with comorbid anxiety and depression. The experiments revealed that patients with MTLE present increased CB1R-induced G-protein signaling efficacy (Emax) as well as an augmented tissue content of anandamide and oleoylethanolamine and low 2-arachidonoylglycerol. Some of these changes were more evident in patients with MTLE without mood disorders. The current findings indicate that pharmacoresistant MTLE is associated with increased CB1R-induced transductional mechanisms as well as augmented tissue content of specific endocannabinoids in the hippocampus and the temporal neocortex. The enhanced endocannabinoid neurotransmission may be involved in the absence of comorbid mood disorders in some patients with MTLE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Rocha
- Department of Pharmacobiology, Center of Research and Advanced Studies, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Resat Cinar
- Laboratory of Physiologic Studies, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, United States
| | | | - Mario Alonso-Vanegas
- National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery "Manuel Velasco Suarez", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Daniel San-Juan
- National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery "Manuel Velasco Suarez", Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Iris Martínez-Juárez
- National Institute of Neurology and Neurosurgery "Manuel Velasco Suarez", Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Francia Carmona-Cruz
- Department of Pharmacobiology, Center of Research and Advanced Studies, Mexico City, Mexico
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18
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Worley NB, Varela JA, Gaillardetz GP, Hill MN, Christianson JP. Monoacylglycerol lipase alpha inhibition alters prefrontal cortex excitability and blunts the consequences of traumatic stress in rat. Neuropharmacology 2020; 166:107964. [PMID: 31954713 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.107964] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 01/11/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Neural activity within the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is a critical determinant of stressor-induced anxiety. Pharmacological activation of the vmPFC during stress protects against stress-induced social anxiety suggesting that altering the excitatory/inhibitory (E/I) tone in the vmPFC may promote stress resilience. E/I balance is maintained, in part, by endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) signaling with the calcium dependent retrograde release of 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) suppressing presynaptic neurotransmitter release. We hypothesized that raising 2-AG levels, via inhibition of its degradation enzyme monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) with KML29, would shift vmPFC E/I balance and promote resilience. In acute slice experiments, bath application of KML29 (100 nM) augmented evoked excitatory neurotransmission as evidenced by a left-shift in fEPSP I/O curve, and decreased sIPSC amplitude. In whole-cell recordings, KML29 increased resting membrane potential but reduced the after depolarization, bursting rate, membrane time constant and slow after hyperpolarization. Intra-vmPFC administration of KML29 (200ng/0.5μL/hemisphere) prior to inescapable stress (IS) exposure (25, 5s tail shocks) prevented stress induced anxiety as measured by juvenile social exploration 24 h after stressor exposure. Conversely, systemic administration of KML29 (40 mg/kg, i.p.) 2 h before IS exacerbated stress induced anxiety. MAGL inhibition in the vmPFC may promote resilience by augmenting the output of neurons that project to brainstem and limbic structures that mediate stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- N B Worley
- Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA.
| | - J A Varela
- Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - G P Gaillardetz
- Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
| | - M N Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, T2N4N1, Canada
| | - J P Christianson
- Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA, 02467, USA
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Navarrete F, García-Gutiérrez MS, Jurado-Barba R, Rubio G, Gasparyan A, Austrich-Olivares A, Manzanares J. Endocannabinoid System Components as Potential Biomarkers in Psychiatry. Front Psychiatry 2020; 11:315. [PMID: 32395111 PMCID: PMC7197485 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.00315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
The high heterogeneity of psychiatric disorders leads to a lack of diagnostic precision. Therefore, the search of biomarkers is a fundamental aspect in psychiatry to reach a more personalized medicine. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has gained increasing interest due to its involvement in many different functional processes in the brain, including the regulation of emotions, motivation, and cognition. This article reviews the role of the main components of the ECS as biomarkers in certain psychiatric disorders. Studies carried out in rodents evaluating the effects of pharmacological and genetic manipulation of cannabinoid receptors or endocannabinoids (eCBs) degrading enzymes were included. Likewise, the ECS-related alterations occurring at the molecular level in animal models reproducing some behavioral and/or neuropathological aspects of psychiatric disorders were reviewed. Furthermore, clinical studies evaluating gene or protein alterations in post-mortem brain tissue or in vivo blood, plasma, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples were analyzed. Also, the results from neuroimaging studies using positron emission tomography (PET) or functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) were included. This review shows the close involvement of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1r) in stress regulation and the development of mood disorders [anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder (BD)], in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as in the etiopathogenesis of schizophrenia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), or eating disorders (i.e. anorexia and bulimia nervosa). On the other hand, recent results reveal the potential therapeutic action of the endocannabinoid tone manipulation by inhibition of eCBs degrading enzymes, as well as by the modulation of cannabinoid receptor 2 (CB2r) activity on anxiolytic, antidepressive, or antipsychotic associated effects. Further clinical research studies are needed; however, current evidence suggests that the components of the ECS may become promising biomarkers in psychiatry to improve, at least in part, the diagnosis and pharmacological treatment of psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francisco Navarrete
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Alicante, Spain.,Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS), Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Salud García-Gutiérrez
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Alicante, Spain.,Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS), Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rosa Jurado-Barba
- Instituto de Investigación i+12, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Servicio de Psiquiatría, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Departamento de Psicología, Facultad de Educación y Salud, Universidad Camilo José Cela, Madrid, Spain
| | - Gabriel Rubio
- Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS), Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain.,Instituto de Investigación i+12, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Servicio de Psiquiatría, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.,Department of Psychiatry, Complutense University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ani Gasparyan
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Alicante, Spain.,Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS), Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Jorge Manzanares
- Instituto de Neurociencias, Universidad Miguel Hernández-CSIC, Alicante, Spain.,Red Temática de Investigación Cooperativa en Salud (RETICS), Red de Trastornos Adictivos, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, MICINN and FEDER, Madrid, Spain
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20
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Impaired anandamide/palmitoylethanolamide signaling in hippocampal glutamatergic neurons alters synaptic plasticity, learning, and emotional responses. Neuropsychopharmacology 2019; 44:1377-1388. [PMID: 30532004 PMCID: PMC6784910 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0274-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 11/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Endocannabinoid signaling via anandamide (AEA) is implicated in a variety of neuronal functions and considered a promising therapeutic target for numerous emotion-related disorders. The major AEA degrading enzyme is fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). Genetic deletion and pharmacological inhibition of FAAH reduce anxiety and improve emotional responses and memory in rodents and humans. Complementarily, the mechanisms and impact of decreased AEA signaling remain to be delineated in detail. In the present study, using the Cre/loxP system combined with an adeno-associated virus (AAV)-mediated delivery system, FAAH was selectively overexpressed in hippocampal CA1-CA3 glutamatergic neurons of adult mice. This approach led to specific FAAH overexpression at the postsynaptic site of CA1-CA3 neurons, to increased FAAH enzymatic activity, and, in consequence, to decreased hippocampal levels of AEA and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA), but the levels of the second major endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) and of oleoylethanolamide (OEA) were unchanged. Electrophysiological recordings revealed an enhancement of both excitatory and inhibitory synaptic activity and of long-term potentiation (LTP). In contrast, excitatory and inhibitory long-term depression (LTD) and short-term synaptic plasticity, apparent as depolarization-induced suppression of excitation (DSE) and inhibition (DSI), remained unaltered. These changes in hippocampal synaptic activity were associated with an increase in anxiety-like behavior, and a deficit in object recognition memory and in extinction of aversive memory. This study indicates that AEA is not involved in hippocampal short-term plasticity, or eLTD and iLTD, but modulates glutamatergic transmission most likely via presynaptic sites, and that disturbances in this process impair learning and emotional responses.
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Andrade AK, Renda B, Murray JE. Cannabinoids, interoception, and anxiety. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2019; 180:60-73. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2019.03.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2018] [Revised: 02/14/2019] [Accepted: 03/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
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Yin AQ, Wang F, Zhang X. Integrating endocannabinoid signaling in the regulation of anxiety and depression. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2019; 40:336-341. [PMID: 30002489 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-018-0051-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain endogenous cannabinoid (eCB) signaling seems to harmonize appropriate behavioral responses, which are essential for the organism's long-term viability and homeostasis. Dysregulation of eCB signaling contributes to negative emotional states and increased stress responses. An understanding of the underlying neural cell populations and neural circuit regulation will enable the development of therapeutic strategies to mitigate behavioral maladaptation and provide insight into the influence of eCB on the neural circuits involved in anxiety and depression. This review focuses on recent evidence that has added a new layer of complexity to the idea of targeting the eCB system for therapeutic benefits in neuropsychiatric disease and on the future research direction of neural circuit modulation.
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Nawata Y, Yamaguchi T, Fukumori R, Yamamoto T. Inhibition of Monoacylglycerol Lipase Reduces the Reinstatement of Methamphetamine-Seeking and Anxiety-Like Behaviors in Methamphetamine Self-Administered Rats. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 22:165-172. [PMID: 30481332 PMCID: PMC6368370 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy086] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Methamphetamine is a highly addictive psychostimulant with reinforcing properties. Our laboratory previously found that Δ8-tetrahydrocannabinol, an exogenous cannabinoid, suppressed the reinstatement of methamphetamine-seeking behavior. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the elevation of endocannabinoids modulates the reinstatement of methamphetamine-seeking behavior and emotional changes in methamphetamine self-administered rats. METHODS Rats were tested for the reinstatement of methamphetamine-seeking behavior following methamphetamine self-administration and extinction. The elevated plus-maze test was performed in methamphetamine self-administered rats during withdrawal. We investigated the effects of JZL184 and URB597, 2 inhibitors of endocannabinoid hydrolysis, on the reinstatement of methamphetamine-seeking and anxiety-like behaviors. RESULTS JZL184 (32 and 40 mg/kg, i.p.), an inhibitor of monoacylglycerol lipase, significantly attenuated both the cue- and stress-induced reinstatement of methamphetamine-seeking behavior. Furthermore, URB597 (3.2 and 10 mg/kg, i.p.), an inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase, attenuated only cue-induced reinstatement. AM251, a cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist, antagonized the attenuation of cue-induced reinstatement by JZL184 but not URB597. Neither JZL184 nor URB597 reinstated methamphetamine-seeking behavior when administered alone. In the elevated plus-maze test, rats that were in withdrawal from methamphetamine self-administration spent less time in the open arms. JZL184 ameliorated the decrease in time spent in the open arms. CONCLUSION We showed that JZL184 reduced both the cue- and stress-induced reinstatement of methamphetamine-seeking and anxiety-like behaviors in rats that had self-administered methamphetamine. It was suggested that a decrease in 2-arachidonoylglycerol in the brain could drive the reinstatement of methamphetamine-seeking and anxiety-like behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoko Nawata
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Nagasaki International University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Taku Yamaguchi
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Nagasaki International University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Ryo Fukumori
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Nagasaki International University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Tsuneyuki Yamamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Nagasaki International University, Nagasaki, Japan,Correspondence: Tsuneyuki Yamamoto, PhD, Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Science, Nagasaki International University, 2825–7 Huis Ten Bosch Sasebo, Nagasaki 859–3298, Japan ()
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24
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Seabra G, Falvella ACB, Guest PC, Martins-de-Souza D, de Almeida V. Proteomics and Lipidomics in the Elucidation of Endocannabinoid Signaling in Healthy and Schizophrenia Brains. Proteomics 2018; 18:e1700270. [DOI: 10.1002/pmic.201700270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2017] [Revised: 07/09/2018] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Seabra
- Laboratory of Neuroproteomics; Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology; Institute of Biology; University of Campinas (UNICAMP); Campinas Brazil
| | - Ana Caroline B. Falvella
- Laboratory of Neuroproteomics; Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology; Institute of Biology; University of Campinas (UNICAMP); Campinas Brazil
| | - Paul C. Guest
- Laboratory of Neuroproteomics; Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology; Institute of Biology; University of Campinas (UNICAMP); Campinas Brazil
| | - Daniel Martins-de-Souza
- Laboratory of Neuroproteomics; Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology; Institute of Biology; University of Campinas (UNICAMP); Campinas Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Biomarcadores em Neuropsiquiatria (INBION) Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico; São Paulo Brazil
| | - Valéria de Almeida
- Laboratory of Neuroproteomics; Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology; Institute of Biology; University of Campinas (UNICAMP); Campinas Brazil
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25
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Sugaya Y, Kano M. Control of excessive neural circuit excitability and prevention of epileptic seizures by endocannabinoid signaling. Cell Mol Life Sci 2018; 75:2793-2811. [PMID: 29737364 PMCID: PMC11105219 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-018-2834-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2018] [Revised: 04/23/2018] [Accepted: 05/02/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Progress in research on endocannabinoid signaling has greatly advanced our understanding of how it controls neural circuit excitability in health and disease. In general, endocannabinoid signaling at excitatory synapses suppresses seizures by inhibiting glutamate release. In contrast, endocannabinoid signaling promotes seizures by inhibiting GABA release at inhibitory synapses. The physiological distribution of endocannabinoid signaling molecules becomes disrupted with the development of epileptic focus in patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and in animal models of experimentally induced epilepsy. Augmentation of endocannabinoid signaling can promote the development of epileptic focus at initial stages. However, at later stages, increased endocannabinoid signaling delays it and suppresses spontaneous seizures. Thus, the regulation of endocannabinoid signaling at specific synapses that cause hyperexcitability during particular stages of disease development may be effective for treating epilepsy and epileptogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Sugaya
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan
| | - Masanobu Kano
- Department of Neurophysiology, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
- International Research Center for Neurointelligence (WPI-IRCN), The University of Tokyo Institutes for Advanced Study (UTIAS), The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
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26
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Cavener VS, Gaulden A, Pennipede D, Jagasia P, Uddin J, Marnett LJ, Patel S. Inhibition of Diacylglycerol Lipase Impairs Fear Extinction in Mice. Front Neurosci 2018; 12:479. [PMID: 30108473 PMCID: PMC6080414 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2018.00479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms regulating fear and extinction learning may offer insights that can lead to novel treatments for debilitating anxiety and trauma-related disorders including posttraumatic stress disorder. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system is a retrograde inhibitory signaling pathway involved in regulating central responses to stress. The eCB 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) has recently been proposed to serve as a homeostatic signal mitigating adverse effects of stress exposure, however, less well understood is 2-AG’s role in fear learning and fear extinction. In this study, we have sought to explore 2-AG’s role in fear conditioning and fear extinction by disrupting 2-AG synthesis utilizing the DAGL inhibitor (DO34) and DAGLα knock-out mice (DAGLα−/−). We found that DAGLα−/− mice, and male and female C57B6/J mice treated with DO34, exhibited impairment in extinction learning in an auditory cue fear-conditioning paradigm. DO34 did not increase unconditioned freezing. Interestingly, inhibition of fatty-acid amide hydrolase was not able to restore normal fear extinction in DO34-treated mice suggesting increased Anandamide cannot compensate for deficient 2-AG signaling in the regulation of fear extinction. Moreover, augmentation of CB1R signaling with tetrahydrocannabinol also failed to restore normal fear extinction in DO34-treated mice. Overall, these data support the hypothesis that DAGLα plays an important role in fear extinction learning. Although genetic and pharmacological disruption of DAGL activity causes widespread lipidomic remodeling, these data combined with previous studies putatively suggest that deficient 2-AG signaling could be a susceptibility endophenotype for the development of trauma-related psychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria S Cavener
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Andrew Gaulden
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Dante Pennipede
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Puja Jagasia
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Jashim Uddin
- Departments of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Pharmacology, A.B. Hancock Jr. Memorial Laboratory for Cancer Research, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Lawrence J Marnett
- Departments of Biochemistry, Chemistry, and Pharmacology, A.B. Hancock Jr. Memorial Laboratory for Cancer Research, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, United States
| | - Sachin Patel
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, United States.,Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, United States
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27
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Worley NB, Hill MN, Christianson JP. Prefrontal endocannabinoids, stress controllability and resilience: A hypothesis. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 85:180-188. [PMID: 28392485 PMCID: PMC6746235 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2017.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2016] [Revised: 03/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/05/2017] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Stressor exposure is a predisposing risk factor for many psychiatric conditions such as PTSD and depression. However, stressors do not influence all individuals equally and in response to an identical stressor some individuals may be vulnerable while others are resilient. While various biological and behavioral factors contribute to vulnerability versus resilience, an individual's degree of control over the stressor is among the most potent. Even with only one experience with control over stress, behavioral control has been shown to have acute and long-lasting stress-mitigating effects. This suggests that control both blunts the response to acute stress and prepares the subject to be resilient to future stressors. In this review, we first summarize the evidence which suggests the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) is a critical component of stressor controllability circuits and a locus of neuroplasticity supporting the acute and long-lasting consequences of control. We next review the central endocannabinoid (eCB) system as a possible mediator of short and long-term synaptic transmission in the vmPFC, and offer a hypothesis whereby eCBs regulate vmPFC circuits engaged when a subject has control over stress and may contribute to the encoding of acute stress coping into long lasting stressor resilience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas B. Worley
- Department of Psychology, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA USA,Corresponding Author: Nicholas Worley, Boston College, Department of Psychology, McGuinn Hall Rm. 300, Chestnut Hill, MA 02467 USA,
| | - Matthew N. Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute, Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, CAN
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28
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Integrating Endocannabinoid Signaling and Cannabinoids into the Biology and Treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:80-102. [PMID: 28745306 PMCID: PMC5719095 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 145] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2017] [Revised: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
Exposure to stress is an undeniable, but in most cases surmountable, part of life. However, in certain individuals, exposure to severe or cumulative stressors can lead to an array of pathological conditions including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), characterized by debilitating trauma-related intrusive thoughts, avoidance behaviors, hyperarousal, as well as depressed mood and anxiety. In the context of the rapidly changing political and legal landscape surrounding use of cannabis products in the USA, there has been a surge of public and research interest in the role of cannabinoids in the regulation of stress-related biological processes and in their potential therapeutic application for stress-related psychopathology. Here we review the current state of knowledge regarding the effects of cannabis and cannabinoids in PTSD and the preclinical and clinical literature on the effects of cannabinoids and endogenous cannabinoid signaling systems in the regulation of biological processes related to the pathogenesis of PTSD. Potential therapeutic implications of the reviewed literature are also discussed. Finally, we propose that a state of endocannabinoid deficiency could represent a stress susceptibility endophenotype predisposing to the development of trauma-related psychopathology and provide biologically plausible support for the self-medication hypotheses used to explain high rates of cannabis use in patients with trauma-related disorders.
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29
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Scarante FF, Vila-Verde C, Detoni VL, Ferreira-Junior NC, Guimarães FS, Campos AC. Cannabinoid Modulation of the Stressed Hippocampus. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 10:411. [PMID: 29311804 PMCID: PMC5742214 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2017.00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 11/27/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Exposure to stressful situations is one of the risk factors for the precipitation of several psychiatric disorders, including Major Depressive Disorder, Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Schizophrenia. The hippocampal formation is a forebrain structure highly associated with emotional, learning and memory processes; being particularly vulnerable to stress. Exposure to stressful stimuli leads to neuroplastic changes and imbalance between inhibitory/excitatory networks. These changes have been associated with an impaired hippocampal function. Endocannabinoids (eCB) are one of the main systems controlling both excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission, as well as neuroplasticity within the hippocampus. Cannabinoids receptors are highly expressed in the hippocampus, and several lines of evidence suggest that facilitation of cannabinoid signaling within this brain region prevents stress-induced behavioral changes. Also, chronic stress modulates hippocampal CB1 receptors expression and endocannabinoid levels. Moreover, cannabinoids participate in mechanisms related to synaptic plasticity and adult neurogenesis. Here, we discussed the main findings supporting the involvement of hippocampal cannabinoid neurotransmission in stress-induced behavioral and neuroplastic changes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franciele F Scarante
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), Cannabinoid Research Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carla Vila-Verde
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), Cannabinoid Research Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Vinícius L Detoni
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), Cannabinoid Research Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Nilson C Ferreira-Junior
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), Cannabinoid Research Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Francisco S Guimarães
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), Cannabinoid Research Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Alline C Campos
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, Centre for Interdisciplinary Research on Applied Neurosciences (NAPNA), Cannabinoid Research Institute, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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30
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Ramírez-López MT, Vázquez M, Lomazzo E, Hofmann C, Blanco RN, Alén F, Antón M, Decara J, Arco R, Orio L, Suárez J, Lutz B, Gómez de Heras R, Bindila L, Rodríguez de Fonseca F. A moderate diet restriction during pregnancy alters the levels of endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-related lipids in the hypothalamus, hippocampus and olfactory bulb of rat offspring in a sex-specific manner. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0174307. [PMID: 28346523 PMCID: PMC5367805 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0174307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2016] [Accepted: 03/07/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Undernutrition during pregnancy has been associated to increased vulnerability to develop metabolic and behavior alterations later in life. The endocannabinoid system might play an important role in these processes. Therefore, we investigated the effects of a moderate maternal calorie-restricted diet on the levels of the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), arachidonic acid (AA) and the N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) anandamide (AEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA) and palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) in the brain of newborn rat offspring. We focused on brain structures involved in metabolism, feeding behavior, as well as emotional and cognitive responses. Female Wistar rats were assigned during the entire pregnancy to either control diet (C) or restriction diet (R), consisting of a 20% calorie-restricted diet. Weight gain and caloric intake of rat dams were monitored and birth outcomes were assessed. 2-AG, AA and NAE levels were measured in hypothalamus, hippocampus and olfactory bulb of the offspring. R dams displayed lower gain weight from the middle pregnancy and consumed less calories during the entire pregnancy. Offspring from R dams were underweight at birth, but litter size was unaffected. In hypothalamus, R male offspring displayed decreased levels of AA and OEA, with no change in the levels of the endocannabinoids 2-AG and AEA. R female exhibited decreased 2-AG and PEA levels. The opposite was found in the hippocampus, where R male displayed increased 2-AG and AA levels, and R female exhibited elevated levels of AEA, AA and PEA. In the olfactory bulb, only R female presented decreased levels of AEA, AA and PEA. Therefore, a moderate diet restriction during the entire pregnancy alters differentially the endocannabinoids and/or endocannabinoid-related lipids in hypothalamus and hippocampus of the underweight offspring, similarly in both sexes, whereas sex-specific alterations occur in the olfactory bulb. Consequently, endocannabinoid and endocannabinoid-related lipid signaling alterations might be involved in the long-term and sexual dimorphism effects commonly observed after undernutrition and low birth weight.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Teresa Ramírez-López
- Departamento de Psicobiología. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas s/n, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Mariam Vázquez
- Departamento de Psicobiología. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas s/n, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
- IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Ermelinda Lomazzo
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Clementine Hofmann
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Rosario Noemi Blanco
- Departamento de Psicobiología. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas s/n, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Alén
- Departamento de Psicobiología. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas s/n, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - María Antón
- Departamento de Psicobiología. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas s/n, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Decara
- IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Rocío Arco
- IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - Laura Orio
- Departamento de Psicobiología. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas s/n, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Suárez
- IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Genética y Fisiología. IBIMA. Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Malaga. Campus de Teatinos s/n, Malaga, Spain
| | - Beat Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Raquel Gómez de Heras
- Departamento de Psicobiología. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas s/n, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
- * E-mail: (FRF); (RGH)
| | - Laura Bindila
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - Fernando Rodríguez de Fonseca
- Departamento de Psicobiología. Facultad de Psicología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid. Campus de Somosaguas s/n, Pozuelo de Alarcón, Madrid, Spain
- IBIMA, Unidad de Gestión Clínica de Salud Mental, Hospital Regional Universitario de Málaga, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
- * E-mail: (FRF); (RGH)
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31
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Ligresti A, De Petrocellis L, Di Marzo V. From Phytocannabinoids to Cannabinoid Receptors and Endocannabinoids: Pleiotropic Physiological and Pathological Roles Through Complex Pharmacology. Physiol Rev 2016; 96:1593-659. [DOI: 10.1152/physrev.00002.2016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 253] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Apart from having been used and misused for at least four millennia for, among others, recreational and medicinal purposes, the cannabis plant and its most peculiar chemical components, the plant cannabinoids (phytocannabinoids), have the merit to have led humanity to discover one of the most intriguing and pleiotropic endogenous signaling systems, the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This review article aims to describe and critically discuss, in the most comprehensive possible manner, the multifaceted aspects of 1) the pharmacology and potential impact on mammalian physiology of all major phytocannabinoids, and not only of the most famous one Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and 2) the adaptive pro-homeostatic physiological, or maladaptive pathological, roles of the ECS in mammalian cells, tissues, and organs. In doing so, we have respected the chronological order of the milestones of the millennial route from medicinal/recreational cannabis to the ECS and beyond, as it is now clear that some of the early steps in this long path, which were originally neglected, are becoming important again. The emerging picture is rather complex, but still supports the belief that more important discoveries on human physiology, and new therapies, might come in the future from new knowledge in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Ligresti
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Comprensorio Olivetti, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Luciano De Petrocellis
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Comprensorio Olivetti, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Vincenzo Di Marzo
- Endocannabinoid Research Group, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Comprensorio Olivetti, Pozzuoli, Italy
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32
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Reichel JM, Bedenk BT, Gassen NC, Hafner K, Bura SA, Almeida-Correa S, Genewsky A, Dedic N, Giesert F, Agarwal A, Nave KA, Rein T, Czisch M, Deussing JM, Wotjak CT. Beware of your Cre-Ation: lacZ expression impairs neuronal integrity and hippocampus-dependent memory. Hippocampus 2016; 26:1250-64. [PMID: 27101945 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/08/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Expression of the lacZ-sequence is a widely used reporter-tool to assess the transgenic and/or transfection efficacy of a target gene in mice. Once activated, lacZ is permanently expressed. However, protein accumulation is one of the hallmarks of neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, the protein product of the bacterial lacZ gene is ß-galactosidase, an analog to the mammalian senescence-associated ß-galactosidase, a molecular marker for aging. Therefore we studied the behavioral, structural and molecular consequences of lacZ expression in distinct neuronal sub-populations. lacZ expression in cortical glutamatergic neurons resulted in severe impairments in hippocampus-dependent memory accompanied by marked structural alterations throughout the CNS. In contrast, GFP expression or the expression of the ChR2/YFP fusion product in the same cell populations did not result in either cognitive or structural deficits. GABAergic lacZ expression caused significantly decreased hyper-arousal and mild cognitive deficits. Attenuated structural and behavioral consequences of lacZ expression could also be induced in adulthood, and lacZ transfection in neuronal cell cultures significantly decreased their viability. Our findings provide a strong caveat against the use of lacZ reporter mice for phenotyping studies and point to a particular sensitivity of the hippocampus formation to detrimental consequences of lacZ expression. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
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Affiliation(s)
- J M Reichel
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany.,Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, 10461, Bronx, New York
| | - B T Bedenk
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany.,Core Unit Neuroimaging, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - N C Gassen
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - K Hafner
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - S A Bura
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - S Almeida-Correa
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - A Genewsky
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - N Dedic
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - F Giesert
- Institute of Developmental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum Muenchen, German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstaedter Landstrasse 1, Neuherberg, D-85764, Germany
| | - A Agarwal
- The Solomon H. Snyder Department of Neuroscience, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
| | - K-A Nave
- Department of Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Experimental Medicine, Goettingen, 37075, Germany
| | - T Rein
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - M Czisch
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany.,Core Unit Neuroimaging, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - J M Deussing
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany
| | - C T Wotjak
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804, Munich, Germany.
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33
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Lutz B, Marsicano G, Maldonado R, Hillard CJ. The endocannabinoid system in guarding against fear, anxiety and stress. Nat Rev Neurosci 2016; 16:705-18. [PMID: 26585799 DOI: 10.1038/nrn4036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 307] [Impact Index Per Article: 38.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid (eCB) system has emerged as a central integrator linking the perception of external and internal stimuli to distinct neurophysiological and behavioural outcomes (such as fear reaction, anxiety and stress-coping), thus allowing an organism to adapt to its changing environment. eCB signalling seems to determine the value of fear-evoking stimuli and to tune appropriate behavioural responses, which are essential for the organism's long-term viability, homeostasis and stress resilience; and dysregulation of eCB signalling can lead to psychiatric disorders. An understanding of the underlying neural cell populations and cellular processes enables the development of therapeutic strategies to mitigate behavioural maladaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beat Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center Mainz, Duesbergweg 6, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Giovanni Marsicano
- Institut national de la santé et de la recherche médicale (INSERM), U862 NeuroCentre Magendie, Group Endocannabinoids and Neuroadaptation, Bordeaux 33077, France.,University of Bordeaux, 146 rue Léo Saignat, Bordeaux 33077, France
| | - Rafael Maldonado
- Laboratori de Neurofarmacologia, Facultat de Ciències de la Salut i de la Vida, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cecilia J Hillard
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Neuroscience Research Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, 8701 Watertown Plank Road, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53226, USA
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Lee TTY, Hill MN, Lee FS. Developmental regulation of fear learning and anxiety behavior by endocannabinoids. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2016; 15:108-24. [PMID: 26419643 PMCID: PMC4713313 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2015] [Revised: 09/03/2015] [Accepted: 09/14/2015] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
The developing brain undergoes substantial maturation into adulthood and the development of specific neural structures occurs on differing timelines. Transient imbalances between developmental trajectories of corticolimbic structures, which are known to contribute to regulation over fear learning and anxiety, can leave an individual susceptible to mental illness, particularly anxiety disorders. There is a substantial body of literature indicating that the endocannabinoid (eCB) system critically regulates stress responsivity and emotional behavior throughout the life span, making this system a novel therapeutic target for stress- and anxiety-related disorders. During early life and adolescence, corticolimbic eCB signaling changes dynamically and coincides with different sensitive periods of fear learning, suggesting that eCB signaling underlies age-specific fear learning responses. Moreover, perturbations to these normative fluctuations in corticolimbic eCB signaling, such as stress or cannabinoid exposure, could serve as a neural substrate contributing to alterations to the normative developmental trajectory of neural structures governing emotional behavior and fear learning. In this review, we first introduce the components of the eCB system and discuss clinical and rodent models showing eCB regulation of fear learning and anxiety in adulthood. Next, we highlight distinct fear learning and regulation profiles throughout development and discuss the ontogeny of the eCB system in the central nervous system, and models of pharmacological augmentation of eCB signaling during development in the context of fear learning and anxiety.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tiffany T.-Y. Lee
- Dept. of Psychology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada, V6T 1Z4
| | - Matthew N. Hill
- Hotchkiss Brain Institute and Mathison Center for Mental Health Research and Education, Departments of Cell Biology and Anatomy & Psychiatry, University of Calgary, Calgary AB, Canada T2N4N1
| | - Francis S. Lee
- Department of Psychiatry, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
- Sackler Institute for Developmental Psychobiology, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, 1300 York Avenue, New York, New York 10065, USA
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