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Katebi SN, Torkaman-Boutorabi A, Riahi E, Haghparast A. N-acetylcysteine attenuates accumbal core neuronal activity in response to morphine in the reinstatement of morphine CPP in morphine extinguished rats. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2024; 131:110942. [PMID: 38215930 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2024.110942] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 01/14/2024]
Abstract
Numerous studies have suggested that N-acetylcysteine (NAC), has the potential to suppress drug craving in people with substance use disorder and reduce drug-seeking behaviors in animals. The nucleus accumbens (NAc) plays a crucial role in the brain's reward system, with the nucleus accumbens core (NAcore) specifically implicated in compulsive drug seeking and relapse. In this study, we aimed to explore the impact of subchronic NAC administration during the extinction period and acute NAC administration on the electrical activity of NAcore neurons in response to a priming dose of morphine in rats subjected to extinction from morphine-induced place preference (CPP).We conducted single-unit recordings in anesthetized rats on the reinstatement day, following the establishment of morphine-induced conditioned place preference (7 mg/kg, s.c., 3 days), and subsequent drug-free extinction. In the subchronically NAC-treated groups, rats received daily injections of either NAC (50 mg/kg; i.p.) or saline during the extinction period. On the reinstatement day, we recorded the spontaneous activity of NAcore neurons for 15 min, administered a priming dose of morphine, and continued recording for an additional 45 min. While morphine excited most recorded neurons in saline-treated rats, it failed to alter firing rates in NAC-treated rats that had received NAC during the extinction period. For acutely NAC-treated animals, we recorded the baseline activity of NAcore neurons for 10 min before administering a single injection of either NAC (50 mg/kg; i.p.) or saline in rats with no treatment during the extinction. Following 30 min of recording and a priming dose of morphine (1 mg/kg, s.c.), the recording continued for an additional 30 min. The firing activity of NAcore neurons did not show significant changes after morphine or NAC injection. In conclusion, our findings emphasize that daily NAC administration during the extinction period significantly attenuates the morphine-induced increase in firing rates of NAcore neurons during the reinstatement of morphine CPP. However, acute NAC injection does not produce the same effect. These results suggest that modulating glutamate transmission through daily NAC during extinction may effectively inhibit the morphine place preference following the excitatory effects of morphine on NAcore neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyedeh-Najmeh Katebi
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Anahita Torkaman-Boutorabi
- Department of Neuroscience and Addiction Studies, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Esmail Riahi
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Haghparast
- Neuroscience Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; School of Cognitive Sciences, Institute for Research in Fundamental Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Department of Basic Sciences, Iranian Academy of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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Yalniz Y, Yunusoğlu O, Berköz M, Demirel ME. Effects of fisetin on ethanol-induced rewarding properties in mice. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2024; 50:75-83. [PMID: 38235981 DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2023.2292976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Background: Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic relapsing disorder associated with compulsive drinking of alcohol. Natural flavonoid fisetin affects a variety of transmitter systems relevant to AUD, such as aminobutyric acid, N-methyl-D-aspartate, and dopamine, as well as peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors.Objectives: This study investigated fisetin's impact on the motivational properties of ethanol using conditioned place preference (CPP) in mice (n = 50).Methods: Mice were conditioned with ethanol (2 g/kg, i.p.) or saline on alternating days for 8 consecutive days and were given intragastric (i.g.) fisetin (10, 20, or 30 mg/kg, i.g.), 45 min before ethanol conditioning. During extinction, physiological saline was injected to the control and ethanol groups, and fisetin was administered to the fisetin groups. To evaluate the effect of fisetin on the reinstatement of ethanol-induced CPP, fisetin was given 45 min before a priming dose of ethanol (0.4 g/kg, i.p.; reinstatement test day).Results: Fisetin decreased the acquisition of ethanol-induced CPP (30 mg/kg, p < .05) and accelerated extinction (20 and 30 mg/kg, p < .05). Furthermore, fisetin attenuated reinstatement of ethanol-induced CPP (30 mg/kg, p < .05).Conclusions: Fisetin appears to diminish the rewarding properties of ethanol, as indicated by its inhibitory effect and facilitation of extinction in ethanol-induced CPP. These findings imply a potential therapeutic application of fisetin in preventing ethanol-seeking behavior, promoting extinction, and reducing the risk of relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasin Yalniz
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Bolu Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey
| | - Oruç Yunusoğlu
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Bolu Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Berköz
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Van Yuzuncu Yıl University, Van, Turkey
| | - Mustafa Enes Demirel
- Emergency Department, School of Medicine, Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey
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Quintanilla ME, Morales P, Santapau D, Ávila A, Ponce C, Berrios-Cárcamo P, Olivares B, Gallardo J, Ezquer M, Herrera-Marschitz M, Israel Y, Ezquer F. Chronic Voluntary Morphine Intake Is Associated with Changes in Brain Structures Involved in Drug Dependence in a Rat Model of Polydrug Use. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:17081. [PMID: 38069404 PMCID: PMC10707256 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242317081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/01/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Chronic opioid intake leads to several brain changes involved in the development of dependence, whereby an early hedonistic effect (liking) extends to the need to self-administer the drug (wanting), the latter being mostly a prefrontal-striatal function. The development of animal models for voluntary oral opioid intake represents an important tool for identifying the cellular and molecular alterations induced by chronic opioid use. Studies mainly in humans have shown that polydrug use and drug dependence are shared across various substances. We hypothesize that an animal bred for its alcohol preference would develop opioid dependence and further that this would be associated with the overt cortical abnormalities clinically described for opioid addicts. We show that Wistar-derived outbred UChB rats selected for their high alcohol preference additionally develop: (i) a preference for oral ingestion of morphine over water, resulting in morphine intake of 15 mg/kg/day; (ii) marked opioid dependence, as evidenced by the generation of strong withdrawal signs upon naloxone administration; (iii) prefrontal cortex alterations known to be associated with the loss of control over drug intake, namely, demyelination, axonal degeneration, and a reduction in glutamate transporter GLT-1 levels; and (iv) glial striatal neuroinflammation and brain oxidative stress, as previously reported for chronic alcohol and chronic nicotine use. These findings underline the relevance of polydrug animal models and their potential in the study of the wide spectrum of brain alterations induced by chronic morphine intake. This study should be valuable for future evaluations of therapeutic approaches for this devastating condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elena Quintanilla
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7610658, Chile; (M.E.Q.); (P.M.); (M.H.-M.); (Y.I.)
| | - Paola Morales
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7610658, Chile; (M.E.Q.); (P.M.); (M.H.-M.); (Y.I.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7610658, Chile
- Research Center for the Development of Novel Therapeutic Alternatives for Alcohol Use Disorders, Santiago 7610658, Chile
| | - Daniela Santapau
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610658, Chile; (D.S.); (A.Á.); (P.B.-C.); (J.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Alba Ávila
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610658, Chile; (D.S.); (A.Á.); (P.B.-C.); (J.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Carolina Ponce
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7610658, Chile
| | - Pablo Berrios-Cárcamo
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610658, Chile; (D.S.); (A.Á.); (P.B.-C.); (J.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Belén Olivares
- Center for Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610658, Chile;
| | - Javiera Gallardo
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610658, Chile; (D.S.); (A.Á.); (P.B.-C.); (J.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Marcelo Ezquer
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610658, Chile; (D.S.); (A.Á.); (P.B.-C.); (J.G.); (M.E.)
| | - Mario Herrera-Marschitz
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7610658, Chile; (M.E.Q.); (P.M.); (M.H.-M.); (Y.I.)
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7610658, Chile
| | - Yedy Israel
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad de Chile, Santiago 7610658, Chile; (M.E.Q.); (P.M.); (M.H.-M.); (Y.I.)
| | - Fernando Ezquer
- Research Center for the Development of Novel Therapeutic Alternatives for Alcohol Use Disorders, Santiago 7610658, Chile
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7610658, Chile; (D.S.); (A.Á.); (P.B.-C.); (J.G.); (M.E.)
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Morley KC, Peruch S, Adams C, Towers E, Tremonti C, Watt J, Jamshidi N, Haber PS. N acetylcysteine in the treatment of alcohol use disorder: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Alcohol Alcohol 2023; 58:553-560. [PMID: 37465907 DOI: 10.1093/alcalc/agad044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023] Open
Abstract
N-acetyl cysteine (NAC) is a potent antioxidant that modulates glutamatergic signalling which is thought to play a role in alcohol use disorder (AUD). There have been no clinical trials investigating NAC for AUD. We aimed to conduct a 28 day double-blind, placebo-controlled (PL) randomized trial of NAC in the treatment of AUD (NCT03879759). A total of 42 participants with AUD (56% alcohol-related liver disease) were randomized to receive placebo or NAC 2400 mg/day. Feasibility outcomes included treatment retention and adverse events. Primary clinical outcomes included alcohol consumption (heavy drinking days, standard drinks per drinking day). Secondary clinical outcome measures included craving, liver tests, and psychological outcomes. There were no significant differences in overall retention between treatment groups (χ2(1) = 0.14, P = 0.71: 86% vs 76% for placebo and NAC, respectively). The most commonly reported adverse event in NAC-treated individuals included headache (14%). For standard drinks per drinking day, there was a significant overall effect of time (F = 9.18, P < 0.001), no significant effect of treatment (F = 0.75, P = 0.79), and a significant time x treatment (NAC vs PL) effect (F = 2.73, P < 0.05). For number of heavy drinks per day, there was a significant overall effect of time (F = 3.16, P < 0.05) but no significant effect of treatment or time x treatment (P = 0.17). There were no significant NAC vs PL effects on secondary clinical outcome measures. In the first trial of NAC for the management of AUD, NAC appears to be feasible and safe. Although there was a significant effect of NAC vs placebo on some alcohol measures such as drinks per drinking day, there does appear to be a variable pattern of effect across time suggesting that a larger trial incorporating a longer treatment duration is now required to determine efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten C Morley
- Specialty of Addiction Medicine, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Siena Peruch
- Specialty of Addiction Medicine, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Claire Adams
- Specialty of Addiction Medicine, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Ellen Towers
- Specialty of Addiction Medicine, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Chris Tremonti
- Edith Collins Centre for Translational Research, Level6, KGV Buidling, Missenden Road, Sydney Local Health District, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW, Australia
| | - Joshua Watt
- Edith Collins Centre for Translational Research, Level6, KGV Buidling, Missenden Road, Sydney Local Health District, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW, Australia
| | - Nazila Jamshidi
- Specialty of Addiction Medicine, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Edith Collins Centre for Translational Research, Level6, KGV Buidling, Missenden Road, Sydney Local Health District, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW, Australia
| | - Paul S Haber
- Specialty of Addiction Medicine, Sydney Medical School, Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
- Edith Collins Centre for Translational Research, Level6, KGV Buidling, Missenden Road, Sydney Local Health District, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, NSW, Australia
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Quintanilla ME, Rivera-Meza M, Berríos-Cárcamo P, Cassels BK. Reduction of nicotine and ethanol intake in alcohol-preferring (UChB) female rats by the α4β2 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor partial agonists 5-bromocytisine and cytisine. Drug Alcohol Depend 2023; 250:110900. [PMID: 37515828 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2023.110900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 06/25/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/31/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are implicated in the reinforcing effects of nicotine and ethanol. Previous studies have shown that cytisine and its 5-bromo derivative are partial agonists at the α4β2 nAChRs and that the parent molecule cytisine is effective in reducing both nicotine- and ethanol-self-administration in rats. However, whether 5-bromocytisine affects nicotine or ethanol self-administration was unknown. OBJECTIVES The present study compared the effects of 5-bromocytisine and cytisine on nicotine self-administration and further assessed the effect of daily drug injection on voluntary ethanol consumption in alcohol-preferring female rats. Animals were administered a 1.5mg/kg i.p. dose of 5-bromocytisine or cytisine every day for 15-16 days. RESULTS The initial efficacy of 5-bromocytisine and cytisine in reducing nicotine intake was similar (-80%) while for voluntary ethanol intake 5-bromocytisine was a superior inhibitor over cytisine (-78% and -40% respectively). The efficacy of cytisine began to diminish after 10 days of daily administration, which was attributed to tolerance development to its inhibitory effects both on nicotine and ethanol self-administration. Tolerance did not develop for 5-bromocytisine. CONCLUSION 5-Bromocytisine, a weaker α4β2 nAChR partial agonist than cytisine, also produces a sustained inhibition of both nicotine and ethanol self-administration, and unlike cytisine, it does not develop tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elena Quintanilla
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Science, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Mario Rivera-Meza
- Department of Pharmacological and Toxicological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
| | - Pablo Berríos-Cárcamo
- Center for Regenerative Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago 7710162, Chile.
| | - Bruce K Cassels
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, University of Chile, Santiago 7800003, Chile.
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Quilaqueo ME, Adasme S, Solís-Egaña F, Quintanilla ME, Vásquez D, Morales P, Herrera-Marschitz M, Rivera-Meza M. The administration of Alda-1, an activator of ALDH2, inhibits relapse-like ethanol intake in female alcohol-preferring UChB rats. Life Sci 2023; 328:121876. [PMID: 37348813 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
AIMS Alcohol relapse is a main limitation for the treatment of alcohol use disorders. Previous studies have shown that Alda-1, a pharmacological activator of ALDH2, inhibits both acquisition and chronic ethanol intake in rats; however, its effects on relapse-like ethanol intake are unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Alda-1 on post-deprivation and reaccess relapse-like ethanol intake in alcohol-preferring UChB rats. We also aimed to assess the possible mechanisms associated with the effects of Alda-1 by measuring the levels of glutamate transporter (GLT-1), oxidative stress and neuroinflammation markers in different regions of the mesocorticolimbic system. MAIN METHODS In Experiment I, UChB female rats were exposed for 100 days to voluntary ethanol intake followed by 2-weeks of ethanol withdrawal and 1 week of ethanol reaccess. Alda-1 (25 mg/kg, intragastric, i.g) or vehicle was administered daily for 14 days during the withdrawal/re-access period. Experiment II was similar to Experiment I, but after the withdrawal period, ethanol re-access was not allowed, and Alda-1 was administered during the last week of withdrawal. At the end of both experiments, the levels of GLT-1, oxidative stress (GSH, MDA), and neuroinflammation markers (GFAP, Iba-1) were assessed in nucleus accumbens and/or hippocampus. KEY FINDINGS The results showed that Alda-1 administration markedly blocked (90 %, p < 0.001) relapse-like ethanol intake in UChB rats. Alda-1 increased Iba-1 reactivity (microglial marker) in the NAc of ethanol-deprived rats. Alda-1 administration did not influence the levels of GLT-1, oxidative stress markers (MDA, GSH) or GFAP reactivity in the mesocorticolimbic system. SIGNIFICANCE These preclinical findings support the use of activators of ALDH2, such as Alda-1, as a potential pharmacological strategy in the treatment of alcohol relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elena Quilaqueo
- Department of Pharmacological and Toxicological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Chile, Chile
| | - Sofía Adasme
- Department of Pharmacological and Toxicological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Chile, Chile
| | - Fresia Solís-Egaña
- Department of Pharmacological and Toxicological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Chile, Chile
| | | | - David Vásquez
- Department of Pharmacological and Toxicological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Chile, Chile
| | - Paola Morales
- Program of Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology, Chile; Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Chile; Research Center for the Development of Novel Therapeutic Alternatives for Alcohol Use Disorders, Santiago, Chile
| | | | - Mario Rivera-Meza
- Department of Pharmacological and Toxicological Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Chile, Chile; Research Center for the Development of Novel Therapeutic Alternatives for Alcohol Use Disorders, Santiago, Chile.
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Fernández-Rodríguez S, Cano-Cebrián MJ, Esposito-Zapero C, Pérez S, Guerri C, Zornoza T, Polache A. N-Acetylcysteine normalizes brain oxidative stress and neuroinflammation observed after protracted ethanol abstinence: a preclinical study in long-term ethanol-experienced male rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2023; 240:725-738. [PMID: 36708386 PMCID: PMC10006045 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-023-06311-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/04/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE Using a preclinical model based on the Alcohol Deprivation Effect (ADE), we have reported that N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) can prevent the relapse-like drinking behaviour in long-term ethanol-experienced male rats. OBJECTIVES To investigate if chronic ethanol intake and protracted abstinence affect several glutamate transporters and whether NAC, administered during the withdrawal period, could restore the ethanol-induced brain potential dysfunctions. Furthermore, the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects of NAC during abstinence in rats under the ADE paradigm were also explored. METHODS The expression of GLT1, GLAST and xCT in nucleus accumbens (Nacc) and dorsal striatum (DS) of male Wistar was analysed after water and chronic ethanol intake. We used the model based on the ADE within another cohort of male Wistar rats. During the fourth abstinence period, rats were treated for 9 days with vehicle or NAC (60, 100 mg/kg; s.c.). The effects of NAC treatment on (i) glutamate transporters expression in the Nacc and DS, (ii) the oxidative status in the hippocampus (Hip) and amygdala (AMG) and (iii) some neuroinflammatory markers in prefrontal cortex (PFC) were tested. RESULTS NAC chronic administration during protracted abstinence restored oxidative stress markers (GSSG and GGSH/GSH) in the Hip. Furthermore, NAC was able to normalize some neuroinflammation markers in PFC without normalizing the observed downregulation of GLT1 and GLAST in Nacc. CONCLUSIONS NAC restores brain oxidative stress and neuroinflammation that we previously observed after protracted ethanol abstinence in long-term ethanol-experienced male rats. This NAC effect could be a plausible mechanism for its anti-relapse effect. Also, brain oxidative stress and neuroinflammation could represent and identify plausible targets for searching new anti-relapse pharmacotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Fernández-Rodríguez
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100, Valencia, Spain
| | - María José Cano-Cebrián
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100, Valencia, Spain
| | - Claudia Esposito-Zapero
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100, Valencia, Spain
| | - Salvador Pérez
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100, Valencia, Spain
| | - Consuelo Guerri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology of Alcohol, Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Valencia, Spain
| | - Teodoro Zornoza
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100, Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Polache
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Parasitology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Valencia, Burjassot, 46100, Valencia, Spain.
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Effect of human mesenchymal stem cell secretome administration on morphine self-administration and relapse in two animal models of opioid dependence. Transl Psychiatry 2022; 12:462. [PMID: 36333316 PMCID: PMC9636200 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-022-02225-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [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] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The present study investigates the possible therapeutic effects of human mesenchymal stem cell-derived secretome on morphine dependence and relapse. This was studied in a new model of chronic voluntary morphine intake in Wistar rats which shows classic signs of morphine intoxication and a severe naloxone-induced withdrawal syndrome. A single intranasal-systemic administration of MSCs secretome fully inhibited (>95%; p < 0.001) voluntary morphine intake and reduced the post-deprivation relapse intake by 50% (p < 0.02). Since several studies suggest a significant genetic contribution to the chronic use of many addictive drugs, the effect of MSCs secretome on morphine self-administration was further studied in rats bred as high alcohol consumers (UChB rats). Sub-chronic intraperitoneal administration of morphine before access to increasing concentrations of morphine solutions and water were available to the animals, led UChB rats to prefer ingesting morphine solutions over water, attaining levels of oral morphine intake in the range of those in the Wistar model. Intranasally administered MSCs secretome to UChB rats dose-dependently inhibited morphine self-administration by 72% (p < 0.001); while a single intranasal dose of MSC-secretome administered during a morphine deprivation period imposed on chronic morphine consumer UChB rats inhibited re-access morphine relapse intake by 80 to 85% (p < 0.0001). Both in the Wistar and the UChB rat models, MSCs-secretome administration reversed the morphine-induced increases in brain oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, considered as key engines perpetuating drug relapse. Overall, present preclinical studies suggest that products secreted by human mesenchymal stem cells may be of value in the treatment of opioid addiction.
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Pérez-Reytor D, Karahanian E. Alcohol use disorder, neuroinflammation, and intake of dietary fibers: a new approach for treatment. THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF DRUG AND ALCOHOL ABUSE 2022:1-7. [DOI: 10.1080/00952990.2022.2114005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Diliana Pérez-Reytor
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Eduardo Karahanian
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Research Center for the Development of Novel Therapeutic Alternatives for Alcohol Use Disorders, Santiago, Chile
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10
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Mechanistic Effects and Use of N-acetylcysteine in Substance Use Disorders. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40473-022-00250-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
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11
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Fredriksson I, Jayaram-Lindström N, Kalivas PW, Melas PA, Steensland P. N-acetylcysteine improves impulse control and attenuates relapse-like alcohol intake in long-term drinking rats. Behav Brain Res 2022; 436:114089. [PMID: 36063970 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2022.114089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Increasing evidence suggests that individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD) present with a disrupted glutamatergic system that underlies core components of addictive disorders, including drug relapse and low impulse control. N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a cystine prodrug that has been found to promote glutamate homeostasis and drug abstinence. However, no studies to date have evaluated NAC's effect on impulsivity in substance use disorders. Here we determined whether NAC would decrease alcohol-intake behaviors, in addition to improving impulse control, in long-term alcohol drinking male Wistar-Han rats. Before the start of the experiments, all rats were exposed to long-term intermittent access to 20% ethanol for at least seven weeks. Next, in different groups of rats, the effect of NAC (60 and/or 90mg/kg) was evaluated on (i) voluntary alcohol drinking using a two-bottle free choice paradigm, (ii) the motivation to self-administer alcohol under a progressive ratio schedule of reinforcement, and (iii) relapse-like drinking using the alcohol deprivation effect model. Finally, (iv) NAC's effect on impulse control was evaluated using the five-choice serial reaction time task. Results showed that NAC administration at 90mg/kg significantly reduced relapse-like drinking and improved impulse control. In contrast, NAC had no effect on levels of alcohol drinking or motivation to drink alcohol. In conclusion, our findings continue to support the use of NAC as an adjuvant treatment for the maintenance of abstinence in AUD. Moreover, we provide evidence for NAC's efficacy in improving impulse control following drinking, which warrants further investigation in substance use settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ida Fredriksson
- Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, 11364 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nitya Jayaram-Lindström
- Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, 11364 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter W Kalivas
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA; Ralph Johnson Veterans Administration, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Philippe A Melas
- Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, 11364 Stockholm, Sweden; Center for Molecular Medicine, L8:00, Karolinska University Hospital, 17176 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Pia Steensland
- Center for Psychiatry Research, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet & Stockholm Health Care Services, 11364 Stockholm, Sweden
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12
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Fernández-Rodríguez S, Cano-Cebrián MJ, Rius-Pérez S, Pérez S, Guerri C, Granero L, Zornoza T, Polache A. Different brain oxidative and neuroinflammation status in rats during prolonged abstinence depending on their ethanol relapse-like drinking behavior: Effects of ethanol reintroduction. Drug Alcohol Depend 2022; 232:109284. [PMID: 35033958 DOI: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 01/03/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Accumulating evidence suggests that chronic alcohol consumption is associated with excessive oxidative damage and neuroinflammatory processes and these events have been associated to early alcohol withdrawal. In the present research we wonder if brain oxidative stress and neuroinflammation remains altered during prolonged withdrawal situations and whether these alterations can be correlated with relapse behavior in alcohol consumption. The effects of alcohol reintroduction were also evaluated METHODS: We have used a model based on the alcohol deprivation effect (ADE) within a cohort of wild-type male Wistar rats. Two subpopulations were identified according to the alcohol relapse-like drinking behavior displayed (ADE and NO-ADE subpopulations). Oxidized and reduced glutathione content was determined within the hippocampus and the amygdala using a mass spectrometry method. The levels of mRNA of seven different inflammatory mediators in the prefrontal cortex of rats were quantified. All the analyses were performed in two different conditions: after 21-day alcohol deprivation (prolonged abstinence) and after 24 h of ethanol reintroduction in both subpopulations. RESULTS ADE and NO-ADE rats showed different endophenotypes. ADE rats always displayed a significant lower alcohol intake rate and ethanol preference than NO-ADE rats. The results also demonstrated the existence of altered brain redox and neuroinflammation status after prolonged abstinence exclusively in ADE rats. Moreover, when ethanol was reintroduced in the ADE subpopulation, altered oxidative stress and neuroinflammatory markers were restored. CONCLUSIONS Present findings provide new mechanisms underlying the neurobiology of relapse behavior and suggest the development of new pharmacological approaches to treat alcohol-induced relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Fernández-Rodríguez
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Avda Vicente Andrés Estellés, s/n 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - M J Cano-Cebrián
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Avda Vicente Andrés Estellés, s/n 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - S Rius-Pérez
- Departament de Fisiologia, Universitat de València, Avda Vicente Andrés Estellés, s/n 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - S Pérez
- Departament de Fisiologia, Universitat de València, Avda Vicente Andrés Estellés, s/n 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - C Guerri
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pathology of Alcohol, Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Carrer d'Eduardo Primo Yúfera, 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - L Granero
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Avda Vicente Andrés Estellés, s/n 46100 Burjassot, Spain
| | - T Zornoza
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Avda Vicente Andrés Estellés, s/n 46100 Burjassot, Spain.
| | - A Polache
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Avda Vicente Andrés Estellés, s/n 46100 Burjassot, Spain
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13
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Rosa MLDP, Machado CA, Oliveira BDS, Toscano ECDB, Asth L, de Barros JLVM, Teixeira AL, Moreira FA, de Miranda AS. Role of cytokine and neurotrophic factors in nicotine addiction in the conditioned place preference paradigm. Neurosci Lett 2021; 764:136235. [PMID: 34508846 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2021.136235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
The mechanisms involved in the maintenance of cigarette smoking and nicotine reward remain unclear. Immune response might play an important role in this context. Nicotine may induce both central and systemic inflammatory responses as well as changes in the regulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). The conditioned place preference (CPP) is a method used for the evaluation of nicotine-induced reward, reproducing nicotine-seeking behavior in humans. So far, there are no studies investigating the relationship between neuroinflammation and nicotine-induced CPP. This study aimed to evaluate the levels of inflammatory mediators and neurotrophic factors in key areas of the central nervous system (CNS) of mice subject to nicotine-induced CPP. CPP was induced with an intraperitoneal administration of 0.5 mg/kg of nicotine in male Swiss mice, using an unbiased protocol. Control group received vehicle by the same route. The levels of cytokines, chemokines, and neurotrophic factors were measured using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) in the brain after CPP test. As expected, nicotine induced place preference behavior. In parallel, we observed increased peripheral levels of IL-6 and IL-10 alongside increased hippocampal levels of NGF but decreased GDNF in mice treated with nicotine compared to controls. In the striatum, nicotine promoted decrease of IL-1ß, IL-10 and GDNF levels, while the levels of all the mediators were similar between groups in the pre-frontal cortex. Our results provide evidence on the role of cytokines and neurotrophic factors in nicotine-induced CPP in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Magda Luciana de Paula Rosa
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Caroline Amaral Machado
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Bruna da Silva Oliveira
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Eliana Cristina de Brito Toscano
- Laboratório de Patologia Celular e Molecular, Departamento de Patologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Laila Asth
- Departmento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - João Luís Vieira Monteiro de Barros
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Antônio Lúcio Teixeira
- Neuropsychiatry Program, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, McGovern Medical School, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, TX, USA
| | - Fabrício A Moreira
- Departmento de Farmacologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Aline Silva de Miranda
- Laboratório de Neurobiologia, Departamento de Morfologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil.
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Systemic administration of N-acetylcysteine during the extinction period and on the reinstatement day decreased the maintenance of morphine rewarding properties in the rats. Behav Brain Res 2021; 413:113451. [PMID: 34256079 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Many animal studies and early clinical trials suggested that N-acetylcysteine (NAC) may benefit addiction treatment. The present study tried to evaluate whether chronic administration of systemic NAC during the extinction period and acute administration of systemic NAC on the reinstatement day could reduce the maintenance of the morphine rewarding properties in the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm in the rats. Ninety-six adult male Wistar rats (190-220 g) were examined with morphine (7 mg/kg; sc) and saline (1 mL/kg; sc) during the 3-day conditioning phase in the CPP paradigm. After the acquisition of morphine CPP, different doses of NAC were daily administered during the extinction period (5, 10, 25, and 50 mg/kg; ip), or 30 min before the CPP test on the reinstatement day (2, 5, 10, 25, and 50 mg/kg; ip). Conditioning score and locomotor activity were recorded by the video tracking system and Ethovision software after acquisition on the post-conditioning day, the extinction period, and reinstatement day. Daily NAC administration in high doses (25 and 50 mg/kg; ip) reduced extinction-responding compared with the vehicle-control group during the extinction period. Although a single injection of NAC in doses 10, 25, 50 mg/kg decreased the reinstatement of morphine-induced CPP, two lower doses (2 and 5 mg/kg) could not significantly reduce the CPP scores. These are the first data suggesting that NAC's application during the extinction period could attenuate the morphine reward-associated behaviors in the rats. Moreover, NAC could inhibit the reinstatement of morphine CPP, which adds to the growing appreciation that the NAC may have potential therapeutic use in combating morphine dependence. It can be consistent with the hypothesis of the involvement of the glutamatergic system in the pathophysiology of addiction.
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15
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Fernández-Rodríguez S, Esposito-Zapero C, Zornoza T, Polache A, Granero L, Cano-Cebrián MJ. The Effects of N-Acetylcysteine on the Rat Mesocorticolimbic Pathway: Role of mGluR5 Receptors and Interaction with Ethanol. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14060593. [PMID: 34203104 PMCID: PMC8233914 DOI: 10.3390/ph14060593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a prodrug that is marketed as a mucolytic agent and used for the treatment of acetaminophen overdose. Over the last few decades, evidence has been gathered that suggests the potential use of NAC as a new pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorder (AUD), although its mechanism of action is already being debated. In this paper, we set out to assess both the potential involvement of the glutamate metabotropic receptors (mGluR) in the possible dual effect of NAC administered at two different doses and NAC's effect on ethanol-induced activation. To this aim, 30 or 120 mg/kg of NAC was intraperitoneally administered to rats with the presence or absence of the negative allosteric modulator of mGluR5 (MTEP 0.1 mg/kg). Thereafter, the cFOS IR-cell expression was analyzed. Secondly, we explored the effect of 120 mg/kg of NAC on the neurochemical and behavioral activation induced by intra-VTA ethanol administration (150 nmol). Our results showed that the high NAC dose stimulated cFOS expression in the NAcc, and that this effect was suppressed in the presence of MTEP, thus suggesting the implication of mGluR5. Additionally, high doses could attenuate the ethanol-induced increase in cFOS-expression in the NAcc, probably due to a phenomenon based on the long-term depression of the MSNs. Additional experiments are required to corroborate our hypothesis.
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16
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N-acetylcysteine in substance use disorder: a lesson from preclinical and clinical research. Pharmacol Rep 2021; 73:1205-1219. [PMID: 34091880 PMCID: PMC8460563 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-021-00283-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a chronic brain condition, with compulsive and uncontrollable drug-seeking that leads to long-lasting and harmful consequences. The factors contributing to the development of SUD, as well as its treatment settings, are not fully understood. Alterations in brain glutamate homeostasis in humans and animals implicate a key role of this neurotransmitter in SUD, while the modulation of glutamate transporters has been pointed as a new strategy to diminish the excitatory glutamatergic transmission observed after drugs of abuse. N-acetylcysteine (NAC), known as a safe mucolytic agent, is involved in the regulation of this system and may be taken into account as a novel pharmacotherapy for SUD. In this paper, we summarize the current knowledge on the ability of NAC to reduce drug-seeking behavior induced by psychostimulants, opioids, cannabinoids, nicotine, and alcohol in animals and humans. Preclinical studies showed a beneficial effect in animal models of SUD, while the clinical efficacy of NAC has not been fully established. In summary, NAC will be a small add-on to usual treatment and/or psychotherapy for SUD, however, further studies are required.
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17
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Morley KC, Perry CJ, Watt J, Hurzeler T, Leggio L, Lawrence AJ, Haber P. New approved and emerging pharmacological approaches to alcohol use disorder: a review of clinical studies. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2021; 22:1291-1303. [PMID: 33615945 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2021.1892641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Abstract
introduction: The number of medications approved for AUD is small and they generally have limited efficacy. We need new pharmacotherapies for the management of AUD.Areas covered: In this review, the authors aim to synthesise literature for new approved and emerging pharmacotherapies for AUD. Recently approved medications include nalmefene, which was approved in Europe and Australia for the purposes of controlled drinking. Baclofen has also been approved in France but not in other countries. Off label medications including topiramate and gabapentin have received significant attention with multiple RCTs and meta-analyses and have widespread use in several countries including the USA. Several novel medications have emerged over the last decade but further work is required to determine their efficacy and safety for the widespread management of AUD.Expert opinion: Despite significant advances in our understanding of the neurobiological basis of factors that contribute to the development and maintenance of AUD, there have been few new AUD medications approved for almost 20 years. There are many challenges to the development and introduction of new pharmacotherapies for AUD. Strategies for improving the translational pipeline include drug repurposing and utilisation of human acute laboratory models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsten C Morley
- Central Clinical School, Sydney School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Edith Collins Centre (Alcohol, Drugs and Toxicology), Sydney Local Health District, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Christina J Perry
- University of Melbourne, Mental Health Theme, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Australia
| | - Joshua Watt
- Edith Collins Centre (Alcohol, Drugs and Toxicology), Sydney Local Health District, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Tristan Hurzeler
- Central Clinical School, Sydney School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Lorenzo Leggio
- Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse and National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore and Bethesda, USA.,Department of Neuroscience, Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, USA.,Medication Development Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse Intramural Research Program, National Institutes of Health, Baltimore, USA
| | - Andrew J Lawrence
- University of Melbourne, Mental Health Theme, Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, Parkville, Australia.,Center for Alcohol and Addiction Studies, Department of Behavioral and Social Sciences, School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, USA
| | - Paul Haber
- Central Clinical School, Sydney School of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health, University of Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Edith Collins Centre (Alcohol, Drugs and Toxicology), Sydney Local Health District, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Division of Addiction Medicine, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, USA
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18
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Quintanilla ME, Morales P, Ezquer F, Ezquer M, Herrera-Marschitz M, Israel Y. Administration of N-acetylcysteine Plus Acetylsalicylic Acid Markedly Inhibits Nicotine Reinstatement Following Chronic Oral Nicotine Intake in Female Rats. Front Behav Neurosci 2021; 14:617418. [PMID: 33633548 PMCID: PMC7902020 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.617418] [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: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/31/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Nicotine is the major addictive component of cigarette smoke and the prime culprit of the failure to quit smoking. Common elements perpetuating the use of addictive drugs are (i) cues associated with the setting in which drug was used and (ii) relapse/reinstatement mediated by an increased glutamatergic tone (iii) associated with drug-induced neuroinflammation and oxidative stress. Aims The present study assessed the effect of the coadministration of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) plus the anti-inflammatory acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on oral nicotine reinstatement intake following a post-deprivation re-access in female rats that had chronically and voluntarily consumed a nicotine solution orally. The nicotine-induced oxidative stress and neuroinflammation in the hippocampus and its effects on the glutamate transporters GLT-1 and XCT mRNA levels in prefrontal cortex were also analyzed. Results The oral coadministration of NAC (40 mg/kg/day) and ASA (15 mg/kg/day) inhibited by 85% of the oral nicotine reinstatement intake compared to control (vehicle), showing an additive effect of both drugs. Acetylsalicylic acid and N-acetylcysteine normalized hippocampal oxidative stress and blunted the hippocampal neuroinflammation observed upon oral nicotine reinstatement. Nicotine downregulated GLT-1 and xCT gene expression in the prefrontal cortex, an effect reversed by N-acetylcysteine, while acetylsalicylic acid reversed the nicotine-induced downregulation of GLT-1 gene expression. The inhibitory effect of N-acetylcysteine on chronic nicotine intake was blocked by the administration of sulfasalazine, an inhibitor of the xCT transporter. Conclusion Nicotine reinstatement, following post-deprivation of chronic oral nicotine intake, downregulates the mRNA levels of GLT-1 and xCT transporters, an effect reversed by the coadministration of N-acetylcysteine and acetylsalicylic acid, leading to a marked inhibition of nicotine intake. The combination of these drugs may constitute a valuable adjunct in the treatment of nicotine-dependent behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elena Quintanilla
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Paola Morales
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernando Ezquer
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marcelo Ezquer
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mario Herrera-Marschitz
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Yedy Israel
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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19
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Israel Y, Quintanilla ME, Ezquer F, Morales P, Santapau D, Berríos‐Cárcamo P, Ezquer M, Olivares B, Herrera‐Marschitz M. Aspirin and N-acetylcysteine co-administration markedly inhibit chronic ethanol intake and block relapse binge drinking: Role of neuroinflammation-oxidative stress self-perpetuation. Addict Biol 2021; 26:e12853. [PMID: 31733014 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12853] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chronic alcohol intake leads to neuroinflammation and cell injury, proposed to result in alterations that perpetuate alcohol intake and cued relapse. Studies show that brain oxidative stress is consistently associated with alcohol-induced neuroinflammation, and literature implies that oxidative stress and neuroinflammation perpetuate each other. In line with a self-perpetuating mechanism, it is hypothesized that inhibition of either oxidative stress or neuroinflammation could reduce chronic alcohol intake and relapse. The present study conducted on alcohol-preferring rats shows that chronic ethanol intake was inhibited by 50% to 55% by the oral administration of low doses of either the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (40 mg/kg/d) or the anti-inflammatory aspirin (ASA; 15 mg/kg/d), while the co-administration of both dugs led to a 70% to 75% (P < .001) inhibition of chronic alcohol intake. Following chronic alcohol intake, a prolonged alcohol deprivation, and subsequent alcohol re-access, relapse drinking resulted in blood alcohol levels of 95 to 100 mg/dL in 60 minutes, which were reduced by 60% by either N-acetylcysteine or aspirin and by 85% by the co-administration of both drugs (blood alcohol: 10 to 15 mg/dL; P < .001). Alcohol intake either on the chronic phase or following deprivation and re-access led to a 50% reduction of cortical glutamate transporter GLT-1 levels, while aspirin administration fully returned GLT-1 to normal levels. N-acetylcysteine administration did not alter GLT-1 levels, while N-acetylcysteine may activate the cystine/glutamate transport xCT, presynaptically inhibiting relapse. Overall, the study suggests that a neuroinflammation/oxidative stress self-perpetuation cycle maintains chronic alcohol intake and relapse drinking. The co-administration of anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents may have translational value in alcohol-use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yedy Israel
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile Santiago Chile
| | - María Elena Quintanilla
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Fernando Ezquer
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile
| | - Paola Morales
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile Santiago Chile
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile Santiago Chile
| | - Daniela Santapau
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile
| | - Pablo Berríos‐Cárcamo
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile
| | - Marcelo Ezquer
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile
| | - Belen Olivares
- Centro de Química Médica, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo Santiago Chile
| | - Mario Herrera‐Marschitz
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine University of Chile Santiago Chile
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20
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Effects of N-acetylcysteine treatment on ethanol's rewarding properties and dopaminergic alterations in mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways. Behav Pharmacol 2020; 32:239-250. [PMID: 33290342 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent reports have shown that N-acetylcysteine (N-AC) has beneficial effects in the treatment of cocaine and nicotine abuse. Considering the similar neurobiologic mechanisms involved in the development of addiction to different drugs, N-AC treatment could be useful in the treatment of ethanol abuse. The rewarding properties of the drugs of abuse plays an important role in the development of addiction and can be studied using the conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm. Thus, to study the effects of N-AC treatment in the rewarding effects of ethanol, we investigated the effects of N-AC administration in the ethanol-induced CPP and neurochemical alterations within the mesocorticolimbic and the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathways. Adult male Swiss mice were pretreated with N-AC (60 or 120 mg/kg intraperitoneal) and tested for the development, expression, or extinction of the ethanol-induced CPP. Another cohort of animals received N-AC (60 or 120 mg/kg intraperitoneal) 2-h before an acute administration of ethanol and had their brains removed for dopamine and its metabolites quantification in the mesocorticolimbic and nigrostriatal pathways. Pretreatment with N-AC (120 mg/kg) blocked the development of ethanol-induced CPP. On the other hand, N-AC at both doses did not alter the expression nor the extinction of ethanol-induced CPP. N-AC increased 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid content in the medial prefrontal cortex and dopaminergic turnover within the substantia nigra. Besides that, there was an increase in dopamine content in the nucleus accumbens of ethanol-treated animals. In summary, N-AC treatment blocked the development of ethanol CPP, without altering ethanol effects on dopaminergic neurotransmission.
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21
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Cano-Cebrián MJ, Fernández-Rodríguez S, Hipólito L, Granero L, Polache A, Zornoza T. Efficacy of N-acetylcysteine in the prevention of alcohol relapse-like drinking: Study in long-term ethanol-experienced male rats. J Neurosci Res 2020; 99:638-648. [PMID: 33063355 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2019] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 10/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Alcohol use disorders are chronic and highly relapsing disorders, thus alcoholic patients have a high rate of recidivism for drug use even after long periods of abstinence. The literature points to the potential usefulness of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) in the management of several substance use disorders probably due to its capacity to restore brain homeostasis of the glutamate system disrupted in addiction. However, there is little evidence in the case of alcohol. The aim of this study was to explore the potential anti-relapse efficacy of NAC using the alcohol deprivation effect (ADE) model in long-term experienced rats. Two experiments were performed in male Wistar rats to: (a) test the efficacy of NAC to prevent relapse and (b) discriminate the best administration schedule (intermittent vs. continuous) for NAC. In the first experiment, animals were implanted with mini-osmotic pumps delivering 0 or 1 mg/hr NAC during 14 days. In a second experiment, rats received 0, 60, or 100 mg/kg once daily by subcutaneous injection. The efficacy to prevent ADE was evaluated in both experiments. NAC subcutaneously administered, either by continuous infusion or by intermittent injections regimen, is able to block the ADE. The best results were obtained after using 60 mg/kg NAC dose. Our findings support the hypothesis that NAC may represent a valuable therapy in the management of alcohol relapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- María José Cano-Cebrián
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Sandra Fernández-Rodríguez
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Lucia Hipólito
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Luis Granero
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Ana Polache
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
| | - Teodoro Zornoza
- Departament de Farmàcia i Tecnologia Farmacèutica i Parasitologia, Universitat de València, Burjassot, Spain
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22
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Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation as a Pivot in Drug Abuse. A Focus on the Therapeutic Potential of Antioxidant and Anti-Inflammatory Agents and Biomolecules. Antioxidants (Basel) 2020; 9:antiox9090830. [PMID: 32899889 PMCID: PMC7555323 DOI: 10.3390/antiox9090830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug abuse is a major global health and economic problem. However, there are no pharmacological treatments to effectively reduce the compulsive use of most drugs of abuse. Despite exerting different mechanisms of action, all drugs of abuse promote the activation of the brain reward system, with lasting neurobiological consequences that potentiate subsequent consumption. Recent evidence shows that the brain displays marked oxidative stress and neuroinflammation following chronic drug consumption. Brain oxidative stress and neuroinflammation disrupt glutamate homeostasis by impairing synaptic and extra-synaptic glutamate transport, reducing GLT-1, and system Xc− activities respectively, which increases glutamatergic neurotransmission. This effect consolidates the relapse-promoting effect of drug-related cues, thus sustaining drug craving and subsequent drug consumption. Recently, promising results as experimental treatments to reduce drug consumption and relapse have been shown by (i) antioxidant and anti-inflammatory synthetic molecules whose effects reach the brain; (ii) natural biomolecules secreted by mesenchymal stem cells that excel in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, delivered via non-invasive intranasal administration to animal models of drug abuse and (iii) potent anti-inflammatory microRNAs and anti-miRNAs which target the microglia and reduce neuroinflammation and drug craving. In this review, we address the neurobiological consequences of brain oxidative stress and neuroinflammation that follow the chronic consumption of most drugs of abuse, and the current and potential therapeutic effects of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents and biomolecules to reduce these drug-induced alterations and to prevent relapse.
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Quintanilla ME, Ezquer F, Morales P, Ezquer M, Olivares B, Santapau D, Herrera-Marschitz M, Israel Y. N-Acetylcysteine and Acetylsalicylic Acid Inhibit Alcohol Consumption by Different Mechanisms: Combined Protection. Front Behav Neurosci 2020; 14:122. [PMID: 32848653 PMCID: PMC7412547 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2020.00122] [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: 04/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic ethanol intake results in brain oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, which have been postulated to perpetuate alcohol intake and to induce alcohol relapse. The present study assessed the mechanisms involved in the inhibition of: (i) oxidative stress; (ii) neuroinflammation; and (iii) ethanol intake that follow the administration of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and the anti-inflammatory acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) to animals that had consumed ethanol chronically. At doses used clinically, NAC [40 mg/kg per day orally (p.o.)] and ASA (15 mg/kg per day p.o.) significantly inhibited chronic alcohol intake and relapse intake in alcohol-preferring rats. The coadministration of both drugs reduced ethanol intake by 65% to 70%. N-acetylcysteine administration: (a) induced the Nrf2-ARE system, lowering the hippocampal oxidative stress assessed as the ratio of oxidized glutathione (GSSG)/reduced glutathione (GSH); (b) reduced the neuroinflammation assessed by astrocyte and microglial activation by immunofluorescence; and (c) inhibited chronic and relapse ethanol intake. These effects were blocked by sulfasalazine, an inhibitor of the xCT transporter, which incorporates cystine (precursor of GSH) and extrudes extracellular glutamate, an agonist of the inhibitory mGlu2/3 receptor, which lowers the synaptic glutamatergic tone. The inhibitor of mGlu2/3 receptor (LY341495) blocked the NAC-induced inhibition of both relapse ethanol intake and neuroinflammation without affecting the GSSG/GSH ratio. Unlike N-acetylcysteine, ASA inhibited chronic alcohol intake and relapse via lipoxin A4, a strong anti-inflammatory metabolite of arachidonic acid generated following the ASA acetylation of cyclooxygenases. Accordingly, the lipoxin A4 receptor inhibitor, WRW4, blocked the ASA-induced reduction of ethanol intake. Overall, via different mechanisms, NAC and ASA administered in clinically relevant doses combine their effects inhibiting ethanol intake.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elena Quintanilla
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernando Ezquer
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Paola Morales
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.,Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Marcelo Ezquer
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Belen Olivares
- Centro de Química Médica, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Santapau
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana, Universidad del Desarrollo, Santiago, Chile
| | - Mario Herrera-Marschitz
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Yedy Israel
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
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24
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Quintanilla ME, Ezquer F, Morales P, Santapau D, Berríos-Cárcamo P, Ezquer M, Herrera-Marschitz M, Israel Y. Intranasal mesenchymal stem cell secretome administration markedly inhibits alcohol and nicotine self-administration and blocks relapse-intake: mechanism and translational options. Stem Cell Res Ther 2019; 10:205. [PMID: 31286996 PMCID: PMC6615104 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-019-1304-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chronic consumption of most drugs of abuse leads to brain oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, which inhibit the glutamate transporter GLT-1, proposed to perpetuate drug intake. The present study aimed at inhibiting chronic ethanol and nicotine self-administration and relapse by the non-invasive intranasal administration of antioxidant and anti-inflammatory secretome generated by adipose tissue-derived activated mesenchymal stem cells. The anti-addiction mechanism of stem cell secretome is also addressed. METHODS Rats bred for their alcohol preference ingested alcohol chronically or were trained to self-administer nicotine. Secretome of human adipose tissue-derived activated mesenchymal stem cells was administered intranasally to animals, both (i) chronically consuming alcohol or nicotine and (ii) during a protracted deprivation before a drug re-access leading to relapse intake. RESULTS The intranasal administration of secretome derived from activated mesenchymal stem cells inhibited chronic self-administration of ethanol or nicotine by 85% and 75%, respectively. Secretome administration further inhibited by 85-90% the relapse "binge" intake that occurs after a protracted drug deprivation followed by a 60-min drug re-access. Secretome administration fully abolished the oxidative stress induced by chronic ethanol or nicotine self-administration, shown by the normalization of the hippocampal oxidized/reduced glutathione ratio, and the neuroinflammation determined by astrocyte and microglial immunofluorescence. Knockdown of the glutamate transporter GLT-1 by the intracerebral administration of an antisense oligonucleotide fully abolished the inhibitory effect of the secretome on ethanol and nicotine intake. CONCLUSIONS The non-invasive intranasal administration of secretome generated by human adipose tissue-derived activated mesenchymal stem cells markedly inhibits alcohol and nicotine self-administration, an effect mediated by the glutamate GLT-1 transporter. Translational implications are envisioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Elena Quintanilla
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Santiago, Chile
| | - Fernando Ezquer
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Av. Las Condes 12438, Lo Barnechea, 7710162, Santiago, RM, Chile.
| | - Paola Morales
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Neuroscience, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Daniela Santapau
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Av. Las Condes 12438, Lo Barnechea, 7710162, Santiago, RM, Chile
| | - Pablo Berríos-Cárcamo
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Av. Las Condes 12438, Lo Barnechea, 7710162, Santiago, RM, Chile
| | - Marcelo Ezquer
- Centro de Medicina Regenerativa, Facultad de Medicina Clínica Alemana-Universidad del Desarrollo, Av. Las Condes 12438, Lo Barnechea, 7710162, Santiago, RM, Chile
| | - Mario Herrera-Marschitz
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Santiago, Chile
| | - Yedy Israel
- Molecular and Clinical Pharmacology Program, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Santiago, Chile
- Department of Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA, USA
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25
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Kangas BD, Doyle RJ, Kohut SJ, Bergman J, Kaufman MJ. Effects of chronic cocaine self-administration and N-acetylcysteine on learning, cognitive flexibility, and reinstatement in nonhuman primates. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2019; 236:2143-2153. [PMID: 30877326 PMCID: PMC6626691 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05211-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Accepted: 02/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Cocaine use disorder (CUD) is associated with cognitive deficits that have been linked to poor treatment outcomes. An improved understanding of cocaine's deleterious effects on cognition may help optimize pharmacotherapies. Emerging evidence implicates abnormalities in glutamate neurotransmission in CUD and drugs that normalize glutamatergic homeostasis (e.g., N-acetylcysteine [NAC]) may attenuate CUD-related relapse behavior. OBJECTIVES The present studies examined the impact of chronic cocaine exposure on touchscreen-based models of learning (repeated acquisition) and cognitive flexibility (discrimination reversal) and, also, the ability of NAC to modulate cocaine self-administration and its capacity to reinstate drug-seeking behavior. METHODS First, stable repeated acquisition and discrimination reversal performance was established. Next, high levels of cocaine-taking behavior (2.13-3.03 mg/kg/session) were maintained for 150 sessions during which repeated acquisition and discrimination reversal performance was probed periodically. Finally, the effects of NAC treatment were examined on cocaine self-administration and, subsequently, extinction and reinstatement. RESULTS Cocaine self-administration significantly impaired performance under both cognitive tasks; however, discrimination reversal was disrupted considerably more than acquisition. Performance eventually approximated baseline levels during chronic exposure. NAC treatment did not perturb ongoing self-administration behavior but was associated with significantly quicker extinction of drug-lever responding. Cocaine-primed reinstatement did not significantly differ between groups. CONCLUSIONS The disruptive effects of cocaine on learning and cognitive flexibility are profound but performance recovered during chronic exposure. Although the effects of NAC on models of drug-taking and drug-seeking behavior in monkeys are less robust than reported in rodents, they nevertheless suggest a role for glutamatergic modulators in CUD treatment programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Kangas
- Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA.
| | - Rachel J Doyle
- Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Stephen J Kohut
- Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Jack Bergman
- Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
| | - Marc J Kaufman
- Harvard Medical School, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill Street, Belmont, MA, 02478, USA
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26
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Kaufman MJ, Kanayama G, Hudson JI, Pope HG. Supraphysiologic-dose anabolic-androgenic steroid use: A risk factor for dementia? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 100:180-207. [PMID: 30817935 PMCID: PMC6451684 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.02.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 02/13/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Supraphysiologic-dose anabolic-androgenic steroid (AAS) use is associated with physiologic, cognitive, and brain abnormalities similar to those found in people at risk for developing Alzheimer's Disease and its related dementias (AD/ADRD), which are associated with high brain β-amyloid (Aβ) and hyperphosphorylated tau (tau-P) protein levels. Supraphysiologic-dose AAS induces androgen abnormalities and excess oxidative stress, which have been linked to increased and decreased expression or activity of proteins that synthesize and eliminate, respectively, Aβ and tau-P. Aβ and tau-P accumulation may begin soon after initiating supraphysiologic-dose AAS use, which typically occurs in the early 20s, and their accumulation may be accelerated by other psychoactive substance use, which is common among non-medical AAS users. Accordingly, the widespread use of supraphysiologic-dose AAS may increase the numbers of people who develop dementia. Early diagnosis and correction of sex-steroid level abnormalities and excess oxidative stress could attenuate risk for developing AD/ADRD in supraphysiologic-dose AAS users, in people with other substance use disorders, and in people with low sex-steroid levels or excess oxidative stress associated with aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marc J Kaufman
- McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA.
| | - Gen Kanayama
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James I Hudson
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Harrison G Pope
- Biological Psychiatry Laboratory, McLean Hospital, 115 Mill St., Belmont, MA 02478, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
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