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Knowles LG, Armanious AJ, Peng Y, Welsh WJ, James MH. Recent advances in drug discovery efforts targeting the sigma 1 receptor system: Implications for novel medications designed to reduce excessive drug and food seeking. ADDICTION NEUROSCIENCE 2023; 8:100126. [PMID: 37753198 PMCID: PMC10519676 DOI: 10.1016/j.addicn.2023.100126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 09/28/2023]
Abstract
Psychiatric disorders characterized by uncontrolled reward seeking, such as substance use disorders (SUDs), alcohol use disorder (AUD) and some eating disorders, impose a significant burden on individuals and society. Despite their high prevalence and substantial morbidity and mortality rates, treatment options for these disorders remain limited. Over the past two decades, there has been a gradual accumulation of evidence pointing to the sigma-1 receptor (S1R) system as a promising target for therapeutic interventions designed to treat these disorders. S1R is a chaperone protein that resides in the endoplasmic reticulum, but under certain conditions translocates to the plasma membrane. In the brain, S1Rs are expressed in several regions important for reward, and following translocation, they physically associate with several reward-related GPCRs, including dopamine receptors 1 and 2 (D1R and D2R). Psychostimulants, alcohol, as well as palatable foods, all alter expression of S1R in regions important for motivated behavior, and S1R antagonists generally decrease behavioral responses to these rewards. Recent advances in structural modeling have permitted the development of highly-selective S1R antagonists with favorable pharmacokinetic profiles, thus providing a therapeutic avenue for S1R-based medications. Here, we provide an up-to-date overview of work linking S1R with motivated behavior for drugs of abuse and food, as well as evidence supporting the clinical utility of S1R antagonists to reduce their excessive consumption. We also highlight potential challenges associated with targeting the S1R system, including the need for a more comprehensive understanding of the underlying neurobiology and careful consideration of the pharmacological properties of S1R-based drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liam G. Knowles
- Harpur School of Arts and Sciences, Binghamton University, Vestal, NY, USA
| | - Abanoub J. Armanious
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University and Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Youyi Peng
- Cancer Institute of New Jersey, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - William J. Welsh
- Department of Pharmacology, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University and Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Piscataway, NJ, USA
| | - Morgan H. James
- Department of Psychiatry, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University and Rutgers Biomedical Health Sciences, Piscataway, NJ, USA
- Brain Health Institute, Rutgers University and Rutgers Biomedical and Health Sciences, Piscataway, NJ, USA
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Quadir SG, Tanino SM, Sami YN, Minnig MA, Iyer MR, Rice KC, Cottone P, Sabino V. Antagonism of Sigma-1 receptor blocks heavy alcohol drinking and associated hyperalgesia in male mice. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2021; 45:1398-1407. [PMID: 34060104 PMCID: PMC8295198 DOI: 10.1111/acer.14635] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex psychiatric disease characterized by high alcohol intake as well as hyperkatifeia and hyperalgesia during withdrawal. A role for Sigma-1 receptors (Sig-1Rs) in the rewarding and reinforcing effects of alcohol has started to emerge in recent years, as rat studies have indicated that Sig-1R hyperactivity may result in excessive alcohol drinking. Sig-1R studies in mice are very scarce, and its potential role in alcohol-induced hyperalgesia is also unknown. METHODS In this study, we investigated the role of Sig-1R in alcohol drinking and associated hyperalgesia in male mice, using an intermittent access 2-bottle choice model of heavy drinking. RESULTS The Sig-1R antagonist BD-1063 was found dose dependently to reduce both alcohol intake and preference, without affecting either water or sucrose intake, suggesting that the effects are specific for alcohol. Notably, the ability of BD-1063 to suppress ethanol intake correlated with the individual baseline levels of alcohol drinking, suggesting that the treatment was more efficacious in heavy drinking animals. In addition, BD-1063 reversed alcohol-induced hyperalgesia during withdrawal, assessed using an automatic Hargreaves test, without affecting thermal sensitivity in alcohol-naïve animals or locomotor activity in either group. CONCLUSIONS These data show that Sig-1R antagonism dose-dependently reduced ethanol consumption in heavy drinking mice as well as its efficacy in reducing alcohol-induced hyperalgesia. These findings provide a foundation for the development of novel treatments for AUD and associated pain states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sema G. Quadir
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St., Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sean M. Tanino
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St., Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yasmine N. Sami
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St., Boston, MA, USA
| | - Margaret A. Minnig
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St., Boston, MA, USA
| | - Malliga R. Iyer
- Section on Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kenner C. Rice
- Drug Design and Synthesis, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Pietro Cottone
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St., Boston, MA, USA
| | - Valentina Sabino
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St., Boston, MA, USA
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Quadir SG, Cottone P, Sabino V. Role of Sigma Receptors in Alcohol Addiction. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:687. [PMID: 31258483 PMCID: PMC6586921 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Accepted: 05/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Pharmacological treatments for alcohol use disorder (AUD) are few in number and often ineffective, despite the significant research carried out so far to better comprehend the neurochemical underpinnings of the disease. Hence, research has been directed towards the discovery of novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of AUD. In the last decade, the sigma receptor system has been proposed as a potential mediator of alcohol reward and reinforcement. Preclinical studies have shown that the motivational effects of alcohol and excessive ethanol consumption involve the recruitment of the sigma receptor system. Furthermore, sigma receptor antagonism has been shown to be sufficient to inhibit many behaviors related to AUDs. This paper will review the most current evidence in support of this receptor system as a potential target for the development of pharmacological agents for the treatment of alcohol addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sema G Quadir
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Pietro Cottone
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Valentina Sabino
- Laboratory of Addictive Disorders, Departments of Pharmacology and Psychiatry, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, United States
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Oberhofer J, Noori HR. Quantitative evaluation of cue-induced reinstatement model for evidence-based experimental optimization. Addict Biol 2019; 24:218-227. [PMID: 29239088 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12588] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2017] [Revised: 10/10/2017] [Accepted: 11/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Cue-induced reinstatement is a widely used model for investigating relapse of reward-seeking behavior with high face validity in relation to clinical observations. Yet, face validity is not sufficient to evaluate an animal model, and quantitative, evidence-based analysis is required to estimate the ultimate applicability of this paradigm. Furthermore, such analysis would allow an accurate and reproducible design of future experiments. Here, we conducted meta-analysis and cluster analysis to characterize the impact of cue type (visual, auditory, olfactory or combinations thereof), intensity (e.g. light frequency, sound volume and odor concentration), reward type (e.g. different drugs of abuse, sucrose and food pellets) and model parameters (e.g. housing condition, age, gender and strain of animals) on reinstatement levels. We selected 184 publications for meta-analysis based on inclusion criteria with a total number of 3889 rats. Our analysis suggested that the exact level of reinstatement depends on neither cue type, nor intensity nor on the type of reward. While all cues induced reinstatement to reward-seeking behavior, it is the model parameters, in particular, the housing conditions, age and strain, that defined the final reinstatement levels. In particular, single-housed, adolescent, Wistar or Lister Hooded rats showed significantly higher reinstatement than adult, Sparague-Dawley rats housed in groups. Our findings suggest that model parameters (for example, single housing) evoke stress-induced behaviors that affect reinstatement more than cue/reward factors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Oberhofer
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim; University of Heidelberg; Heidelberg Germany
| | - Hamid R. Noori
- Institute of Psychopharmacology, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim; University of Heidelberg; Heidelberg Germany
- Neuronal Convergence Group; Max Planck Institute for Biological Cybernetics; Tübingen Germany
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Abstract
Thanks to advances in neuroscience, addiction is now recognized as a chronic brain disease with genetic, developmental, and cultural components. Drugs of abuse, including alcohol, are able to produce significant neuroplastic changes responsible for the profound disturbances shown by drug addicted individuals. The current lack of efficacious pharmacological treatments for substance use disorders has encouraged the search for novel and more effective pharmacotherapies. Growing evidence strongly suggests that Sigma Receptors are involved in the addictive and neurotoxic properties of abused drugs, including cocaine , methamphetamine , and alcohol. The present chapter will review the current scientific knowledge on the role of the Sigma Receptor system in the effects of drugs and alcohol, and proposes that this receptor system may represent a novel therapeutic target for the treatment of substance use disorders and associated neurotoxicity.
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Abstract
This review compares the biological and physiological function of Sigma receptors [σRs] and their potential therapeutic roles. Sigma receptors are widespread in the central nervous system and across multiple peripheral tissues. σRs consist of sigma receptor one (σ1R) and sigma receptor two (σ2R) and are expressed in numerous regions of the brain. The sigma receptor was originally proposed as a subtype of opioid receptors and was suggested to contribute to the delusions and psychoses induced by benzomorphans such as SKF-10047 and pentazocine. Later studies confirmed that σRs are non-opioid receptors (not an µ opioid receptor) and play a more diverse role in intracellular signaling, apoptosis and metabolic regulation. σ1Rs are intracellular receptors acting as chaperone proteins that modulate Ca2+ signaling through the IP3 receptor. They dynamically translocate inside cells, hence are transmembrane proteins. The σ1R receptor, at the mitochondrial-associated endoplasmic reticulum membrane, is responsible for mitochondrial metabolic regulation and promotes mitochondrial energy depletion and apoptosis. Studies have demonstrated that they play a role as a modulator of ion channels (K+ channels; N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors [NMDAR]; inositol 1,3,5 triphosphate receptors) and regulate lipid transport and metabolism, neuritogenesis, cellular differentiation and myelination in the brain. σ1R modulation of Ca2+ release, modulation of cardiac myocyte contractility and may have links to G-proteins. It has been proposed that σ1Rs are intracellular signal transduction amplifiers. This review of the literature examines the mechanism of action of the σRs, their interaction with neurotransmitters, pharmacology, location and adverse effects mediated through them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Colin G Rousseaux
- a Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine , University of Ottawa , Ottawa , ON , Canada and
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Perry CJ, Zbukvic I, Kim JH, Lawrence AJ. Role of cues and contexts on drug-seeking behaviour. Br J Pharmacol 2014; 171:4636-72. [PMID: 24749941 PMCID: PMC4209936 DOI: 10.1111/bph.12735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2013] [Revised: 04/04/2014] [Accepted: 04/10/2014] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Environmental stimuli are powerful mediators of craving and relapse in substance-abuse disorders. This review examined how animal models have been used to investigate the cognitive mechanisms through which cues are able to affect drug-seeking behaviour. We address how animal models can describe the way drug-associated cues come to facilitate the development and persistence of drug taking, as well as how these cues are critical to the tendency to relapse that characterizes substance-abuse disorders. Drug-associated cues acquire properties of conditioned reinforcement, incentive motivation and discriminative control, which allow them to influence drug-seeking behaviour. Using these models, researchers have been able to investigate the pharmacology subserving the behavioural impact of environmental stimuli, some of which we highlight. Subsequently, we examine whether the impact of drug-associated stimuli can be attenuated via a process of extinction, and how this question is addressed in the laboratory. We discuss how preclinical research has been translated into behavioural therapies targeting substance abuse, as well as highlight potential developments to therapies that might produce more enduring changes in behaviour.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina J Perry
- Behavioural Neuroscience Division, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, Vic., Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Isabel Zbukvic
- Behavioural Neuroscience Division, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, Vic., Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Jee Hyun Kim
- Behavioural Neuroscience Division, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, Vic., Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, Vic., Australia
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- Behavioural Neuroscience Division, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental HealthParkville, Vic., Australia
- Florey Department of Neuroscience and Mental Health, University of MelbourneParkville, Vic., Australia
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