1
|
Voicu V, Brehar FM, Toader C, Covache-Busuioc RA, Corlatescu AD, Bordeianu A, Costin HP, Bratu BG, Glavan LA, Ciurea AV. Cannabinoids in Medicine: A Multifaceted Exploration of Types, Therapeutic Applications, and Emerging Opportunities in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Cancer Therapy. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1388. [PMID: 37759788 PMCID: PMC10526757 DOI: 10.3390/biom13091388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 09/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/12/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In this review article, we embark on a thorough exploration of cannabinoids, compounds that have garnered considerable attention for their potential therapeutic applications. Initially, this article delves into the fundamental background of cannabinoids, emphasizing the role of endogenous cannabinoids in the human body and outlining their significance in studying neurodegenerative diseases and cancer. Building on this foundation, this article categorizes cannabinoids into three main types: phytocannabinoids (plant-derived cannabinoids), endocannabinoids (naturally occurring in the body), and synthetic cannabinoids (laboratory-produced cannabinoids). The intricate mechanisms through which these compounds interact with cannabinoid receptors and signaling pathways are elucidated. A comprehensive overview of cannabinoid pharmacology follows, highlighting their absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion, as well as their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Special emphasis is placed on the role of cannabinoids in neurodegenerative diseases, showcasing their potential benefits in conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, and multiple sclerosis. The potential antitumor properties of cannabinoids are also investigated, exploring their potential therapeutic applications in cancer treatment and the mechanisms underlying their anticancer effects. Clinical aspects are thoroughly discussed, from the viability of cannabinoids as therapeutic agents to current clinical trials, safety considerations, and the adverse effects observed. This review culminates in a discussion of promising future research avenues and the broader implications for cannabinoid-based therapies, concluding with a reflection on the immense potential of cannabinoids in modern medicine.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Victor Voicu
- Pharmacology, Toxicology and Clinical Psychopharmacology, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Bucharest, 020021 Bucharest, Romania;
- Medical Section within the Romanian Academy, 010071 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Felix-Mircea Brehar
- Neurosurgery Department, Emergency Clinical Hospital Bagdasar-Arseni, 041915 Bucharest, Romania
- Department of Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (R.-A.C.-B.); (A.D.C.); (A.B.); (H.P.C.); (B.-G.B.); (L.-A.G.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Corneliu Toader
- Department of Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (R.-A.C.-B.); (A.D.C.); (A.B.); (H.P.C.); (B.-G.B.); (L.-A.G.); (A.V.C.)
- Department of Vascular Neurosurgery, National Institute of Neurology and Neurovascular Diseases, 077160 Bucharest, Romania
| | - Razvan-Adrian Covache-Busuioc
- Department of Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (R.-A.C.-B.); (A.D.C.); (A.B.); (H.P.C.); (B.-G.B.); (L.-A.G.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Antonio Daniel Corlatescu
- Department of Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (R.-A.C.-B.); (A.D.C.); (A.B.); (H.P.C.); (B.-G.B.); (L.-A.G.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Andrei Bordeianu
- Department of Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (R.-A.C.-B.); (A.D.C.); (A.B.); (H.P.C.); (B.-G.B.); (L.-A.G.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Horia Petre Costin
- Department of Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (R.-A.C.-B.); (A.D.C.); (A.B.); (H.P.C.); (B.-G.B.); (L.-A.G.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Bogdan-Gabriel Bratu
- Department of Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (R.-A.C.-B.); (A.D.C.); (A.B.); (H.P.C.); (B.-G.B.); (L.-A.G.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Luca-Andrei Glavan
- Department of Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (R.-A.C.-B.); (A.D.C.); (A.B.); (H.P.C.); (B.-G.B.); (L.-A.G.); (A.V.C.)
| | - Alexandru Vlad Ciurea
- Department of Neurosurgery, “Carol Davila” University of Medicine and Pharmacy, 020021 Bucharest, Romania; (R.-A.C.-B.); (A.D.C.); (A.B.); (H.P.C.); (B.-G.B.); (L.-A.G.); (A.V.C.)
- Neurosurgery Department, Sanador Clinical Hospital, 010991 Bucharest, Romania
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Winstone J, Shafique H, Clemmer ME, Mackie K, Wager-Miller J. Effects of Tetrahydrocannabinol and Cannabidiol on Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor and Tropomyosin Receptor Kinase B Expression in the Adolescent Hippocampus. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2023; 8:612-622. [PMID: 35639364 PMCID: PMC10442678 DOI: 10.1089/can.2021.0025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Adolescence is an important phase in brain maturation, specifically it is a time during which weak synapses are pruned and neural pathways are strengthened. Adolescence is also a time of experimentation with drugs, including cannabis, which may have detrimental effects on the developing nervous system. The cannabinoid type 1 receptor (CB1) is an important modulator of neurotransmitter release and plays a central role in neural development. Neurotrophic factors such as brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), are also critical during development for axon guidance and synapse specification. Objective: The objective of this study was to examine the effects of the phytocannabinoids, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), on the expression of BDNF, its receptor TrkB, and other synaptic markers in the adolescent mouse hippocampus. Materials and Methods: Mice of both sexes were injected daily from P28 to P49 with 3 mg/kg THC, CBD, or a combination of THC/CBD. Brains were harvested on P50, and the dorsal and ventral hippocampi were analyzed for levels of BDNF, TrkB, and several synaptic markers using quantitative polymerase chain reaction, western blotting, and image analyses. Results: THC treatment statistically significantly reduced transcript levels of BDNF in adolescent female (BDNF I) and male (BDNF I, II, IV, VI, and IX) hippocampi. These changes were prevented when CBD was co-administered with THC. CBD by itself statistically significantly increased expression of some transcripts (BDNF II, VI, and IX for females, BDNF VI for males). No statistically significant changes were observed in protein expression for BDNF, TrkB, phospho-TrkB, phospho-CREB (cAMP response element-binding protein), and the synaptic markers, vesicular GABA transporter, vesicular glutamate transporter, synaptobrevin, and postsynaptic density protein 95. However, CB1 receptors were statistically significantly reduced in the ventral hippocampus with THC treatment. Conclusions: This study found changes in BDNF mRNA expression within the hippocampus of adolescent mice exposed to THC and CBD. THC represses transcript expression for some BDNF variants, and this effect is rescued when CBD is co-administered. These effects were seen in both males and females, but sex differences were observed in specific BDNF isoforms. While a statistically significant reduction in CB1 receptor protein in the ventral dentate gyrus was seen, no other changes in protein levels were observed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Winstone
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Hana Shafique
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Madeleine E. Clemmer
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Ken Mackie
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| | - Jim Wager-Miller
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, The Gill Center for Biomolecular Science, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
The Therapeutic Potential of the Endocannabinoid System in Age-Related Diseases. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10102492. [PMID: 36289755 PMCID: PMC9599275 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10102492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2022] [Revised: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system (ECS) dynamically regulates many aspects of mammalian physiology. ECS has gained substantial interest since growing evidence suggests that it also plays a major role in several pathophysiological conditions due to its ability to modulate various underlying mechanisms. Furthermore, cannabinoids, as components of the cannabinoid system (CS), have proven beneficial effects such as anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, neuromodulatory, antioxidative, and cardioprotective effects. In this comprehensive review, we aimed to describe the complex interaction between CS and most common age-related diseases such as neuro-degenerative, oncological, skeletal, and cardiovascular disorders, together with the potential of various cannabinoids to ameliorate the progression of these disorders. Since chronic inflammation is postulated as the pillar of all the above-mentioned medical conditions, we also discuss in this paper the potential of CS to ameliorate aging-associated immune system dysregulation.
Collapse
|
4
|
Prenatal exposure to Cannabis smoke induces early and lasting damage to the brain. Neurochem Int 2022; 160:105406. [PMID: 35970295 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2022.105406] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2022] [Revised: 08/02/2022] [Accepted: 08/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is the most widely used illegal drug during pregnancy, however, the effects of gestational exposure to Cannabis smoke (CS) on the central nervous system development remain uncharacterised. This study investigates the effects of maternal CS inhalation on brain function in the offspring. Pregnant mice were exposed daily to 5 min of CS during gestational days (GD) 5.5-17.5. On GD 18.5 half of the dams were euthanized for foetus removal. The offspring from the remaining dams were euthanized on postnatal days (PND) 20 and 60 for evaluation. Brain volume, cortex cell number, SOX2, histone-H3, parvalbumin, NeuN, and BDNF immunoreactivity were assessed in all groups. In addition, levels of NeuN, CB1 receptor, and BDNF expression were assessed and cortical primary neurons from rats were treated with Cannabis smoke extract (CSE) for assessment of cell viability. We found that male foetuses from the CS exposed group had decreased brain volume, whereas mice at PND 60 from the exposed group presented with increased brain volume. Olfactory bulb and diencephalon volume were found lower in foetuses exposed to CS. Mice at PND 60 from the exposed group had a smaller volume in the thalamus and hypothalamus while the cerebellum presented with a greater volume. Also, there was an increase in cortical BDNF immunoreactivity in CS exposed mice at PND 60. Protein expression analysis showed an increase in pro-BDNF in foetus brains exposed to CS. Mice at PND 60 presented an increase in mature BDNF in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) in the exposed group and a higher CB1 receptor expression in the PFC. Moreover, hippocampal NeuN expression was higher in adult animals from the exposed group. Lastly, treatment of cortical primary neurons with doses of CSE resulted in decreased cell viability. These findings highlight the potential negative neurodevelopmental outcomes induced by gestational CS exposure.
Collapse
|
5
|
Park Y, Watkins BA. Dietary PUFAs and Exercise Dynamic Actions on Endocannabinoids in Brain: Consequences for Neural Plasticity and Neuroinflammation. Adv Nutr 2022; 13:1989-2001. [PMID: 35675221 PMCID: PMC9526838 DOI: 10.1093/advances/nmac064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The brain and peripheral nervous system provide oversight to muscle physiology and metabolism. Muscle is the largest organ in the body and critical for glucose sensitivity, prevention of diabetes, and control of obesity. The central nervous system produces endocannabinoids (eCBs) that play a role in brain neurobiology, such as inflammation and pain. Interestingly, studies in humans and rodents show that a moderate duration of exercise increases eCBs in the brain and blood and influences cannabinoid receptors. Cannabinoid actions in the nervous system have advanced our understanding of pain, well-being, and disease. Nutrition is an important aspect of brain and eCB physiology because eCBs are biosynthesized from PUFAs. The primary eCB metabolites are derived from arachidonic acid, a 20:4n-6 (ω-6) PUFA, and the n-3 (ω-3) PUFAs, EPA and DHA. The eCBs bind to cannabinoid receptors CB1 and CB2 to exert a wide range of activities, such as stimulating appetite, influencing energy metabolism, supporting the immune system, and facilitating neuroplasticity. A diet containing different essential n-6 and n-3 PUFAs will dominate the formation of specific eCBs, and subsequently their actions as ligands for CB1 and CB2. The eCBs also function as substrates for cyclooxygenase enzymes, including potential substrates for the oxylipins (OxLs), which can be proinflammatory. Together, the eCBs and OxLs act as modulators of neuroinflammation. Thus, dietary PUFAs have implications for exercise responses via synthesis of eCBs and their effects on neuroinflammation. Neurotrophins also participate in interactions between diet and the eCBs, specifically brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF supports neuroplasticity in cooperation with the endocannabinoid system (ECS). This review will describe the role of PUFAs in eCB biosynthesis, discuss the ECS and OxLs in neuroinflammation, highlight the evidence for exercise effects on eCBs, and describe eCB and BDNF actions on neuroplasticity.
Collapse
|
6
|
Gao L, Zhang Y, Sterling K, Song W. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor in Alzheimer's disease and its pharmaceutical potential. Transl Neurodegener 2022; 11:4. [PMID: 35090576 PMCID: PMC8796548 DOI: 10.1186/s40035-022-00279-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 118] [Impact Index Per Article: 59.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Synaptic abnormalities are a cardinal feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD) that are known to arise as the disease progresses. A growing body of evidence suggests that pathological alterations to neuronal circuits and synapses may provide a mechanistic link between amyloid β (Aβ) and tau pathology and thus may serve as an obligatory relay of the cognitive impairment in AD. Brain-derived neurotrophic factors (BDNFs) play an important role in maintaining synaptic plasticity in learning and memory. Considering AD as a synaptic disorder, BDNF has attracted increasing attention as a potential diagnostic biomarker and a therapeutical molecule for AD. Although depletion of BDNF has been linked with Aβ accumulation, tau phosphorylation, neuroinflammation and neuronal apoptosis, the exact mechanisms underlying the effect of impaired BDNF signaling on AD are still unknown. Here, we present an overview of how BDNF genomic structure is connected to factors that regulate BDNF signaling. We then discuss the role of BDNF in AD and the potential of BDNF-targeting therapeutics for AD.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lina Gao
- Shandong Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Behavioral Interventions of Mental Disorders, Institute of Mental Health, College of Pharmacy, Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, Shandong, China
- Townsend Family Laboratories, Department of Psychiatry, The University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Yun Zhang
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China
| | - Keenan Sterling
- Townsend Family Laboratories, Department of Psychiatry, The University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Weihong Song
- Shandong Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Behavioral Interventions of Mental Disorders, Institute of Mental Health, College of Pharmacy, Jining Medical University, Jining, 272067, Shandong, China.
- Townsend Family Laboratories, Department of Psychiatry, The University of British Columbia, 2255 Wesbrook Mall, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
- National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xuanwu Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100053, China.
- Institute of Aging, Key Laboratory of Alzheimer's Disease of Zhejiang Province, School of Mental Health and The Affiliated Kangning Hospital, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, 325000, Zhejiang, China.
- Oujiang Laboratory (Zhejiang Lab for Regenerative Medicine, Vision and Brain Health), Wenzhou, 325001, Zhejiang, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Examining the Use of Antidepressants for Adolescents with Depression/Anxiety Who Regularly Use Cannabis: A Narrative Review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2022; 19:ijerph19010523. [PMID: 35010782 PMCID: PMC8744706 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Depression and anxiety disorders are two of the most common and growing mental health concerns in adolescents. Consequently, antidepressant medication (AD) use has increased widely during the last decades. Several classes of antidepressants are used mainly to treat depression, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders by targeting relevant brain neurochemical pathways. Almost all randomized clinical trials of antidepressants examined patients with no concomitant medications or drugs. This does not address the expected course of therapy and outcome in cannabis users. Cannabis is the most commonly used illicit substance globally. Substantial changes in its regulation are recently taking place. Many countries and US states are becoming more permissive towards its medical and recreational use. The psychological and physiological effects of cannabis (mainly of its major components, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD)) have been extensively characterized. Cannabis use can be a risk factor for depressive and anxiety symptoms, but some constituents or mixtures may have antidepressant and/or anxiolytic potential. The aim of this literature review is to explore whether simultaneous use of AD and cannabis in adolescence can affect AD treatment outcomes. Based on the current literature, it is reasonable to assume that antidepressants are less effective for adolescents with depression/anxiety who frequently use cannabis. The mechanisms of action of antidepressants and cannabis point to several similarities and conjunctions that merit future investigation regarding the potential effectiveness of antidepressants among adolescents who consume cannabis regularly.
Collapse
|
8
|
Gish A, Wiart JF, Turpin E, Allorge D, Gaulier JM. État de l’art et intérêt des dosages plasmatiques des substances endocannabinoïdes et endocannabinoïdes-like. TOXICOLOGIE ANALYTIQUE ET CLINIQUE 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.toxac.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
|
9
|
Major Phytocannabinoids and Their Related Compounds: Should We Only Search for Drugs That Act on Cannabinoid Receptors? Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13111823. [PMID: 34834237 PMCID: PMC8625816 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13111823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/24/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The most important discoveries in pharmacology, such as certain classes of analgesics or chemotherapeutics, started from natural extracts which have been found to have effects in traditional medicine. Cannabis, traditionally used in Asia for the treatment of pain, nausea, spasms, sleep, depression, and low appetite, is still a good candidate for the development of new compounds. If initially all attention was directed to the endocannabinoid system, recent studies suggest that many of the clinically proven effects are based on an intrinsic chain of mechanisms that do not necessarily involve only cannabinoid receptors. Recent research has shown that major phytocannabinoids and their derivatives also interact with non-cannabinoid receptors such as vanilloid receptor 1, transient receptor ankyrin 1 potential, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma or glitazone receptor, G55 protein-coupled receptor, and nuclear receptor, producing pharmacological effects in diseases such as Alzheimer's, epilepsy, depression, neuropathic pain, cancer, and diabetes. Nonetheless, further studies are needed to elucidate the precise mechanisms of these compounds. Structure modulation of phytocannabinoids, in order to improve pharmacological effects, should not be limited to the exploration of cannabinoid receptors, and it should target other courses of action discovered through recent research.
Collapse
|
10
|
Crombie KM, Sartin-Tarm A, Sellnow K, Ahrenholtz R, Lee S, Matalamaki M, Almassi NE, Hillard CJ, Koltyn KF, Adams TG, Cisler JM. Exercise-induced increases in Anandamide and BDNF during extinction consolidation contribute to reduced threat following reinstatement: Preliminary evidence from a randomized controlled trial. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 132:105355. [PMID: 34280820 PMCID: PMC8487992 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 07/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION We recently demonstrated that moderate-intensity aerobic exercise delivered during the consolidation of fear extinction learning reduced threat expectancy during a test of extinction recall among women with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). These findings suggest that exercise may be a potential candidate for improving the efficacy of exposure-based therapies, which are hypothesized to work via the mechanisms of fear extinction learning. The purpose of this secondary analysis was to examine whether exercise-induced increases in circulating concentrations of candidate biomarkers: endocannabinoids (anandamide [AEA]; 2-arachidonoylglycerol [2-AG], brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and homovanillic acid (HVA), mediate the effects of exercise on extinction recall. METHODS Participants (N = 35) completed a 3-day fear acquisition (day 1), extinction (day 2), and extinction recall (day 3) protocol, in which participants were randomly assigned to complete either moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (EX) or a light-intensity control (CON) condition following extinction training (day 2). Blood was obtained prior to and following EX or CON. Threat expectancy ratings during tests of extinction recall (i.e., initial fear recall and fear recall following reinstatement) were obtained 24 h following EX or CON. Mediation was tested using linear-mixed effects models and bootstrapping of the indirect effect. RESULTS Circulating concentrations of AEA and BDNF (but not 2-AG and HVA) were found to mediate the relationship between moderate-intensity aerobic exercise and reduced threat expectancy ratings following reinstatement (AEA 95% CI: -0.623 to -0.005; BDNF 95% CI: -0.941 to -0.005). CONCLUSIONS Exercise-induced increases in peripheral AEA and BDNF appear to play a role in enhancing consolidation of fear extinction learning, thereby leading to reduced threat expectancies following reinstatement among women with PTSD. Future mechanistic research examining these and other biomarkers (e.g., brain-based biomarkers) is warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kevin M. Crombie
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Anneliis Sartin-Tarm
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Kyrie Sellnow
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Rachel Ahrenholtz
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Sierra Lee
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Megan Matalamaki
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Psychiatry, 6001
Research Park Boulevard, Madison, Wisconsin, United States of America,
53719-1176
| | - Neda E. Almassi
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Kinesiology, 285 Med
Sci, 1300 University Ave, Madison, WI, United States of America, 53706-1121
| | - Cecilia J. Hillard
- Medical College of Wisconsin, Neuroscience Research Center,
Department of Pharmacology and, Toxicology, 8701 Watertown Plank Rd., Milwaukee, WI
53226
| | - Kelli F. Koltyn
- University of Wisconsin, Department of Kinesiology, 285 Med
Sci, 1300 University Ave, Madison, WI, United States of America, 53706-1121
| | - Tom G. Adams
- University of Kentucky, Department of Psychology, 105
Kastle Hill, Lexington, Kentucky, United States of America, 40506-0044,Yale School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry, 300
George St., New Haven, CT, United States of America, 06511,National Center for PTSD, Clinical Neurosciences Division,
VA CT Healthcare System, 950 Campbell Avenue, West Haven, CT, United States of
America, 06516
| | - Josh M. Cisler
- University of Texas at Austin, Department of Psychiatry and
Behavioral Sciences, 1601 Trinity St, Bldg B, Austin, TX, United States of America,
78712
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Potential and Limits of Cannabinoids in Alzheimer's Disease Therapy. BIOLOGY 2021; 10:biology10060542. [PMID: 34204237 PMCID: PMC8234911 DOI: 10.3390/biology10060542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Simple Summary This review was aimed at exploring the potentiality of drugging the endocannabinoid system as a therapeutic option for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Recent discoveries have demonstrated how the modulation of cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1) and receptor 2 (CB2) can exert neuroprotective effects without the recreational and pharmacological properties of Cannabis sativa. Thus, this review explores the potential of cannabinoids in AD, also highlighting their limitations in perspective to point out the need for further research on cannabinoids in AD therapy. Abstract Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a detrimental brain disorder characterized by a gradual cognitive decline and neuronal deterioration. To date, the treatments available are effective only in the early stage of the disease. The AD etiology has not been completely revealed, and investigating new pathological mechanisms is essential for developing effective and safe drugs. The recreational and pharmacological properties of marijuana are known for centuries, but only recently the scientific community started to investigate the potential use of cannabinoids in AD therapy—sometimes with contradictory outcomes. Since the endocannabinoid system (ECS) is highly expressed in the hippocampus and cortex, cannabis use/abuse has often been associated with memory and learning dysfunction in vulnerable individuals. However, the latest findings in AD rodent models have shown promising effects of cannabinoids in reducing amyloid plaque deposition and stimulating hippocampal neurogenesis. Beneficial effects on several dementia-related symptoms have also been reported in clinical trials after cannabinoid treatments. Accordingly, future studies should address identifying the correct therapeutic dosage and timing of treatment from the perspective of using cannabinoids in AD therapy. The present paper aims to summarize the potential and limitations of cannabinoids as therapeutics for AD, focusing on recent pre-clinical and clinical evidence.
Collapse
|
12
|
Labib AY, Ammar RM, El-Naga RN, El-Bahy AAZ, Tadros MG, Michel HE. Mechanistic insights into the protective effect of paracetamol against rotenone-induced Parkinson's disease in rats: Possible role of endocannabinoid system modulation. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 94:107431. [PMID: 33578261 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2020] [Revised: 01/21/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is a disabling progressive neurodegenerative disease. So far, PD's treatment remains symptomatic with no curative effects. Aside from its blatant analgesic and antipyretic efficacy, recent studies highlighted the endowed neuroprotective potentials of paracetamol (PCM). To this end: the present study investigated: (1) Possible protective role of PCM against rotenone-induced PD-like neurotoxicity in rats, and (2) the mechanisms underlying its neuroprotective actions including cannabinoid receptors' modulation. A dose-response study was conducted using three doses of PCM (25, 50, and 100 mg/kg/day, i.p.) and their effects on body weight changes, spontaneous locomotor activity, rotarod test, tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and α-synuclein expression, and striatal dopamine (DA) content were evaluated. Results revealed that PCM (100 mg/kg/day, i.p.) halted PD motor impairment, prevented rotenone-induced weight loss, restored normal histological tissue structure, reversed rotenone-induced reduction in TH expression and striatal DA content, and markedly decreased midbrain and striatal α-synuclein expression in rotenone-treated rats. Accordingly, PCM (100 mg/kg/day, i.p.) was selected for further mechanistic investigations, where it ameliorated rotenone-induced oxidative stress, neuro-inflammation, apoptosis, and disturbed cannabinoid receptors' expression. In conclusion, our findings imply a multi-target neuroprotective effect of PCM in PD which could be attributed to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-apoptotic activities, in addition to cannabinoid receptors' modulation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Aya Yassin Labib
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Heliopolis University for Sustainable Development, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ramy M Ammar
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafr El-Sheikh, Egypt
| | - Reem N El-Naga
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Alshaymaa Amin Zaki El-Bahy
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Hertfordshire, Hosted by Global Academic Foundation, New Administrative City, Egypt
| | - Mariane G Tadros
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Haidy E Michel
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Endocannabinoids and aging-Inflammation, neuroplasticity, mood and pain. VITAMINS AND HORMONES 2021; 115:129-172. [PMID: 33706946 DOI: 10.1016/bs.vh.2020.12.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Aging is associated with changes in hormones, slowing of metabolism, diminished physiological processes, chronic inflammation and high exposure to oxidative stress factors, generally described as the biological cost of living. Lifestyle interventions of diet and exercise can improve the quality of life during aging and lower diet-related chronic disease. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) has important effects on systemic metabolism and physiological systems, including the central and peripheral nervous systems. Exercise can reduce the loss of muscle mass and improve strength, and increase the levels of endocannabinoids (eCB) in brain and blood. Although the ECS exerts controls on multiple systems throughout life it affords benefits to natural aging. The eCB are synthesized from polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and the primary ones are produced from arachidonic acid (n-6 PUFA) and others from the n-3 PUFA, namely eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids. The eCB ligands bind to their receptors, CB1 and CB2, with effects on appetite stimulation, metabolism, immune functions, and brain physiology and neuroplasticity. Dietary families of PUFA are a primary factor that can influence the types and levels of eCB and as a consequence, the downstream actions when the ligands bind to their receptors. Furthermore, the association of eCB with the synthesis of oxylipins (OxL) is a connection between the physiological actions of eCB and the lipid derived immunological OxL mediators of inflammation. OxL are ubiquitous and influence neuroinflammation and inflammatory processes. The emerging actions of eCB on neuroplasticity, well-being and pain are important to aging. Herein, we present information about the ECS and its components, how exercise and diet affects specific eCB, their role in neuroplasticity, neuroinflammation, pain, mood, and relationship to OxL. Poor nutrition status and low nutrient intakes observed with many elderly are reasons to examine the role of dietary PUFA actions on the ECS to improve health.
Collapse
|
14
|
Recovery of BDNF and CB1R in the Prefrontal Cortex Underlying Improvement of Working Memory in Prenatal DEHP-Exposed Male Rats after Aerobic Exercise. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21113867. [PMID: 32485872 PMCID: PMC7312003 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21113867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2020] [Revised: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Early-life exposure to di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) has been suggested to relate to hyperactivity, lack of attention, and working memory deficits in school-age children. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and endocannabinoids are induced by aerobic exercises to provide beneficial effects on brain functions. This study investigated the mechanisms underlying working memory impairment and the protective role of exercise in prenatal DEHP-exposed male rats. Sprague Dawley dams were fed with vehicle or DEHP during gestation. The male offspring were trained to exercise on a treadmill for 5 weeks, which was followed by an assessment of their working memory with a T-maze delayed non-match-to-sample task. The expressions of BDNF, dopamine D1 receptor (D1R), cannabinoid receptor 1 (CB1R), and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) in the prefrontal cortex were detected by Western blot. The results showed that DEHP-exposed rats exhibited working memory impairments without significant alterations in locomotor activities. The reduced expressions of prefrontal BDNF and CB1R were obtained in the DEHP-exposed rats, while D1R and FAAH were barely affected. Importantly, aerobic exercise during childhood-adolescence prevented the impairment of working memory in the DEHP-exposed rats by recovering the BDNF and CB1R expressions in the prefrontal cortex. These findings suggest that exercise may provide beneficial effects in ameliorating the impairment of working memory in the prenatal DEHP-exposed male rats at late adolescence.
Collapse
|
15
|
Bhatt D, Hazari A, Yamakawa GR, Salberg S, Sgro M, Shultz SR, Mychasiuk R. Investigating the cumulative effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and repetitive mild traumatic brain injury on adolescent rats. Brain Commun 2020; 2:fcaa042. [PMID: 32954298 PMCID: PMC7425386 DOI: 10.1093/braincomms/fcaa042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2019] [Revised: 03/04/2020] [Accepted: 03/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The prevalence of mild traumatic brain injury is highest amongst the adolescent population and can lead to complications including neuroinflammation and excitotoxicity. Also pervasive in adolescents is recreational cannabis use. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol, the main psychoactive component of cannabis, is known to have anti-inflammatory properties and serves as a neuroprotective agent against excitotoxicity. Thus, we investigated the effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol on recovery when administered either prior to or following repeated mild brain injuries. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly assigned to receive Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol or vehicle either prior to or following the repeated injuries. Rats were then tested on a behavioural test battery designed to measure post-concussive symptomology. The hippocampus, nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex were extracted from all animals to examine mRNA expression changes (Bdnf, Cnr1, Comt, GR, Iba-1 and Vegf-2R). We hypothesized that, in both experiments, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol administration would provide neuroprotection against mild injury outcomes and confer therapeutic benefit. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol administration following repeated mild traumatic brain injury was beneficial to three of the six behavioural outcomes affected by injury (reducing anxiety and depressive-like behaviours while also mitigating injury-induced deficits in short-term working memory). Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol administration following injury also showed beneficial effects on the expression of Cnr1, Comt and Vegf-2R in the hippocampus, nucleus accumbens and prefrontal cortex. There were no notable benefits of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol when administered prior to injury, suggesting that Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol may have potential therapeutic benefit on post-concussive symptomology when administered post-injury, but not pre-injury.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dhyey Bhatt
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Ali Hazari
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
| | - Glenn R Yamakawa
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Sabrina Salberg
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Marissa Sgro
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| | - Sandy R Shultz
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
- Department of Medicine, Royal Melbourne Hospital, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3050, Australia
| | - Richelle Mychasiuk
- Department of Psychology, Alberta Children’s Hospital Research Institute, Hotchkiss Brain Institute, The University of Calgary, Calgary, AB T2N 4N1, Canada
- Department of Neuroscience, Central Clinical School, Monash University, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Abstract
Given the aging Baby Boomer generation, changes in cannabis legislation, and the growing acknowledgment of cannabis for its therapeutic potential, it is predicted that cannabis use in the older population will escalate. It is, therefore, important to determine the interaction between the effects of cannabis and aging. The aim of this report is to describe the link between cannabis use and the aging brain. Our review of the literature found few and inconsistent empirical studies that directly address the impact of cannabis use on the aging brain. However, research focused on long-term cannabis use points toward cumulative effects on multimodal systems in the brain that are similarly affected during aging. Specifically, the effects of cannabis and aging converge on overlapping networks in the endocannabinoid, opioid, and dopamine systems that may affect functional decline particularly in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex, which are critical areas for memory and executive functioning. To conclude, despite the limited current knowledge on the potential interactive effects between cannabis and aging, evidence from the literature suggests that cannabis and aging effects are concurrently present across several neurotransmitter systems. There is a great need for future research to directly test the interactions between cannabis and aging.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hye Bin Yoo
- Center for BrainHealth, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Jennifer DiMuzio
- Center for BrainHealth, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Francesca M Filbey
- Center for BrainHealth, School of Behavioral and Brain Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Dallas, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Bellozi PM, Pelição R, Santos MC, Lima IV, Saliba SW, Vieira ÉL, Campos AC, Teixeira AL, de Oliveira AC, Nakamura-Palacios EM, Rodrigues LC. URB597 ameliorates the deleterious effects induced by binge alcohol consumption in adolescent rats. Neurosci Lett 2019; 711:134408. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2019.134408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2019] [Revised: 07/16/2019] [Accepted: 07/29/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
|
18
|
Horton KKA, Goonawardena AV, Sesay J, Howlett AC, Hampson RE. Systemic Blockade of the CB 1 Receptor Augments Hippocampal Gene Expression Involved in Synaptic Plasticity but Perturbs Hippocampus-Dependent Learning Task. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2019; 4:33-41. [PMID: 31032421 DOI: 10.1089/can.2018.0061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chronic and acute agonism as well as acute antagonism of CB1 receptors reveal modulation of learning and memory during stable performance of a delayed-nonmatch-to-sample (DNMS) memory task. However, it remains unclear how chronic blockade of the CB1 receptor alters acquisition of the behavioral task. We examined the effects of chronic rimonabant exposure during DNMS task acquisition to determine if blockade of the CB1 receptor with the antagonist rimonabant enhanced acquisition of operant task. Long-Evans rats, trained in the DNMS task before imposition of the trial delay, were surgically implanted with osmotic mini pumps to administer rimonabant (1.0 mg/kg/day) or vehicle (dimethyl sulfoxide/Tween-80/Saline). Following surgical recovery, DNMS training was resumed with the imposition of gradually longer delays (1-30 sec). The number of days required to achieve stable performance with either increasing length of delay or reversal of task contingency was compared between vehicle and rimonabant-treated rats. Following the completion of DNMS training, animals were euthanized, and both hippocampi were harvested for gene expression assay analysis. Rimonabant treatment animals required more time to achieve stable DNMS performance than vehicle-treated controls. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis revealed that the expressions of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor subunit, brain-derived neurotrophic factor, and synapsin 1 (Syn1) were significantly increased. These results are consistent with rimonabant increasing mRNAs for proteins associated with hippocampal synapse remodeling, but that those alterations did not necessarily accelerate the acquisition of an operant behavioral task that required learning new contingencies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kofi-Kermit A Horton
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.,Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio
| | - Anushka V Goonawardena
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina.,Biosciences Division, SRI International, Menlo Park, California
| | - John Sesay
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Allyn C Howlett
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Robert E Hampson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Dong C, Tian Z, Zhang K, Chang L, Qu Y, Pu Y, Ren Q, Fujita Y, Ohgi Y, Futamura T, Hashimoto K. Increased BDNF-TrkB signaling in the nucleus accumbens plays a role in the risk for psychosis after cannabis exposure during adolescence. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2019; 177:61-68. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2019.01.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2018] [Revised: 01/07/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
20
|
Miguez MJ, Chan W, Espinoza L, Tarter R, Perez C. Marijuana use among adolescents is associated with deleterious alterations in mature BDNF. AIMS Public Health 2019; 6:4-14. [PMID: 30931339 PMCID: PMC6433615 DOI: 10.3934/publichealth.2019.1.4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Background With increases in marijuana use and legalization efforts, it is imperative to establish its impact on the developing brain. Therefore, we investigated whether exposure to marijuana alters brain derived neurotropic-factor (BDNF), given its critical role in brain development and plasticity. We then examined whether onset age of cannabis use was associated with more severe changes. A single site, cohort study following 500 urban healthy American adolescents. Changes in plasma m-BDNF levels were longitudinally assessed, and a multi-method approach was implemented to ascertain marijuana use. Multivariate and general linear model (GLM) regression modeling were utilized to test the main hypothesis, controlling for confounders. Results Group-based trajectory modeling identified four distinct groups, characterized by naive (60% control), starters (14%), chronic users (20%), and experimenting/quitters (6%). Compared to controls, those initiating marijuana use had similar pre-existent m-BDNF (1939.2 ± 221 vs. 2640.7 ± 1309 ng/ml, p=0.4) After adjusting for confounding factors, GLM analyses revealed that, compared to controls, younger adolescents increased BDNF levels when experimenting and during moderate marijuana use. Older adolescents had a steeper increase in endogenous BDNF levels, particularly when escalating use. Multivariate analyses confirmed marijuana use as a predictor of m-BDNF (p = 0.001). Conclusions This is the first study demonstrating BDNF alterations were not a precondition. Rather, BDNF alteration was secondary to marijuana use, serving as cautionary evidence of marijuana's deleterious effects. Findings suggest that when marijuana use escalates, the BDNF pathway becomes more deregulated. Analyses confirm that age of marijuana use onset influences the magnitude of these changes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Jose Miguez
- School of Integrated Science and Humanity, Florida International University, Miami, USA
| | - Wenyaw Chan
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, University of Texas, Houston, USA
| | - Luis Espinoza
- Department of Medicine, University of Miami, Miami, USA
| | - Ralph Tarter
- Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, USA
| | - Caroline Perez
- School of Integrated Science and Humanity, Florida International University, Miami, USA
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Carty DR, Miller ZS, Thornton C, Pandelides Z, Kutchma ML, Willett KL. Multigenerational consequences of early-life cannabinoid exposure in zebrafish. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2018; 364:133-143. [PMID: 30594692 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2018.12.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
While Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) has been widely studied in the realm of developmental and reproductive toxicology, few studies have investigated potential toxicities from a second widely used cannabis constituent, cannabidiol (CBD). CBD is popularized for its therapeutic potential for reducing seizure frequencies in epilepsy. This study investigated developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) via multigenerational gene expression patterns, behavior phenotypes, and reproductive fitness of a subsequent F1 following an F0 developmental exposure of zebrafish (Danio rerio) to THC (0.024, 0.12, 0.6 mg/L; 0.08, 0.4, 2 μM) or CBD (0.006, 0.03, 0.15 mg/L; 0.02, 0.1, 0.5 μM). Embryonic exposure at these concentrations did not cause notable morphological abnormalities in either F0 or F1 generations. However, during key developmental stages (14, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h post fertilization) THC and CBD caused differential expression of c-fos, brain-derived neurotrophic factor (bdnf), and deleted-in-azoospermia like (dazl), while in F1 larvae only CBD differentially expressed dazl. Larval photomotor behavior was reduced (F0) or increased (F1) by THC exposure, while CBD had no effect on F0 larvae, but decreased activity in the unexposed F1 larvae. These results support our hypothesis of cannabinoid-related developmental neurotoxicity. As adults, F0 fecundity was reduced, but it was not in F1 adults. Conversely, in the adult open field test there were no significant effects in F0 fish, but a significant reduction in the time in periphery was seen in F1 fish from the highest THC exposure group. The results highlight the need to consider long-term ramifications of early-life exposure to cannabinoids.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dennis R Carty
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA; Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Zachary S Miller
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Cammi Thornton
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Zacharias Pandelides
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Marisa L Kutchma
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
| | - Kristine L Willett
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Ferreira FF, Ribeiro FF, Rodrigues RS, Sebastião AM, Xapelli S. Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) Role in Cannabinoid-Mediated Neurogenesis. Front Cell Neurosci 2018; 12:441. [PMID: 30546297 PMCID: PMC6279918 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2018.00441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2018] [Accepted: 11/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The adult mammalian brain can produce new neurons in a process called adult neurogenesis, which occurs mainly in the subventricular zone (SVZ) and in the hippocampal dentate gyrus (DG). Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling and cannabinoid type 1 and 2 receptors (CB1R and CB2R) have been shown to independently modulate neurogenesis, but how they may interact is unknown. We now used SVZ and DG neurosphere cultures from early (P1-3) postnatal rats to study the CB1R and CB2R crosstalk with BDNF in modulating neurogenesis. BDNF promoted an increase in SVZ and DG stemness and cell proliferation, an effect blocked by a CB2R selective antagonist. CB2R selective activation promoted an increase in DG multipotency, which was inhibited by the presence of a BDNF scavenger. CB1R activation induced an increase in SVZ and DG cell proliferation, being both effects dependent on BDNF. Furthermore, SVZ and DG neuronal differentiation was facilitated by CB1R and/or CB2R activation and this effect was blocked by sequestering endogenous BDNF. Conversely, BDNF promoted neuronal differentiation, an effect abrogated in SVZ cells by CB1R or CB2R blockade while in DG cells was inhibited by CB2R blockade. We conclude that endogenous BDNF is crucial for the cannabinoid-mediated effects on SVZ and DG neurogenesis. On the other hand, cannabinoid receptor signaling is also determinant for BDNF actions upon neurogenesis. These findings provide support for an interaction between BDNF and endocannabinoid signaling to control neurogenesis at distinct levels, further contributing to highlight novel mechanisms in the emerging field of brain repair.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Filipa Fiel Ferreira
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Filipa F Ribeiro
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rui S Rodrigues
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Ana Maria Sebastião
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Sara Xapelli
- Instituto de Farmacologia e Neurociências, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.,Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Kaya MC, Bulut M, Kaplan İ, Gunes M. Levels of endocannabinoid metabolizing enzymes are not related with BDNF levels in patients with schizophrenia: a case-controlled study. PSYCHIAT CLIN PSYCH 2018. [DOI: 10.1080/24750573.2018.1540200] [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: 10/28/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Mehmet Cemal Kaya
- Department of Psychiatry, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakır, Turkey
| | - Mahmut Bulut
- Department of Psychiatry, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakır, Turkey
| | - İbrahim Kaplan
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakır, Turkey
| | - Mehmet Gunes
- Department of Psychiatry, Dicle University Medical Faculty, Diyarbakır, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Laricchiuta D, Andolina D, Angelucci F, Gelfo F, Berretta E, Puglisi-Allegra S, Petrosini L. Cerebellar BDNF Promotes Exploration and Seeking for Novelty. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2018; 21:485-498. [PMID: 29471437 PMCID: PMC5932472 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyy015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Revised: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 02/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Approach system considered a motivational system that activates reward-seeking behavior is associated with exploration/impulsivity, whereas avoidance system considered an attentional system that promotes inhibition of appetitive responses is associated with active overt withdrawal. Approach and avoidance dispositions are modulated by distinct neurochemical profiles and synaptic patterns. However, the precise working of neurons and trafficking of molecules in the brain activity predisposing to approach and avoidance are yet unclear. Methods In 3 phenotypes of inbred mice, avoiding, balancing, and approaching mice, selected by using the Approach/Avoidance Y-maze, we analyzed endogenous brain levels of brain derived neurotrophic factor, one of the main secretory proteins with pleiotropic action. To verify the effects of the acute increase of brain derived neurotrophic factor, balancing and avoiding mice were bilaterally brain derived neurotrophic factor-infused in the cortical cerebellar regions. Results Approaching animals showed high levels of explorative behavior and response to novelty and exhibited higher brain derived neurotrophic factor levels in the cerebellar structures in comparison to the other 2 phenotypes of mice. Interestingly, brain derived neurotrophic factor-infused balancing and avoiding mice significantly increased their explorative behavior and response to novelty. Conclusions Cerebellar brain derived neurotrophic factor may play a role in explorative and novelty-seeking responses that sustain the approach predisposition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Laricchiuta
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University “Sapienza” of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Diego Andolina
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University “Sapienza” of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Angelucci
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- Memory Clinic, Department of Neurology, Charles University, 2nd Faculty of Medicine and Motol University Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Francesca Gelfo
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- Department of TeCoS, Guglielmo Marconi University, Rome, Italy
| | - Erica Berretta
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University “Sapienza” of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Behavioral Neuroscience PhD Programme
| | - Stefano Puglisi-Allegra
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University “Sapienza” of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Laura Petrosini
- Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine and Psychology, University “Sapienza” of Rome, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Epigenetic mechanisms associated with addiction-related behavioural effects of nicotine and/or cocaine: implication of the endocannabinoid system. Behav Pharmacol 2018; 28:493-511. [PMID: 28704272 DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The addictive use of nicotine (NC) and cocaine (COC) continues to be a major public health problem, and their combined use has been reported, particularly during adolescence. In neural plasticity, commonly induced by NC and COC, as well as behavioural plasticity related to the use of these two drugs, the involvement of epigenetic mechanisms, in which the reversible regulation of gene expression occurs independently of the DNA sequence, has recently been reported. Furthermore, on the basis of intense interactions with the target neurotransmitter systems, the endocannabinoid (ECB) system has been considered pivotal for eliciting the effects of NC or COC. The combined use of marijuana with NC and/or COC has also been reported. This article presents the addiction-related behavioural effects of NC and/or COC, based on the common behavioural/neural plasticity and combined use of NC/COC, and reviews the interacting role of the ECB system. The epigenetic processes inseparable from the effects of NC and/or COC (i.e. DNA methylation, histone modifications and alterations in microRNAs) and the putative therapeutic involvement of the ECB system at the epigenetic level are also discussed.
Collapse
|
26
|
de la Tremblaye PB, O'Neil DA, LaPorte MJ, Cheng JP, Beitchman JA, Thomas TC, Bondi CO, Kline AE. Elucidating opportunities and pitfalls in the treatment of experimental traumatic brain injury to optimize and facilitate clinical translation. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 85:160-175. [PMID: 28576511 PMCID: PMC5709241 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2017] [Accepted: 05/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The aim of this review is to discuss the research presented in a symposium entitled "Current progress in characterizing therapeutic strategies and challenges in experimental CNS injury" which was presented at the 2016 International Behavioral Neuroscience Society annual meeting. Herein we discuss diffuse and focal traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ensuing chronic behavioral deficits as well as potential rehabilitative approaches. We also discuss the effects of stress on executive function after TBI as well as the response of the endocrine system and regulatory feedback mechanisms. The role of the endocannabinoids after CNS injury is also discussed. Finally, we conclude with a discussion of antipsychotic and antiepileptic drugs, which are provided to control TBI-induced agitation and seizures, respectively. The review consists predominantly of published data.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Patricia B de la Tremblaye
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Darik A O'Neil
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Megan J LaPorte
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Jeffrey P Cheng
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Joshua A Beitchman
- Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, United States; Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, United States; Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, United States
| | - Theresa Currier Thomas
- Barrow Neurological Institute at Phoenix Children's Hospital, Phoenix, AZ, United States; Department of Child Health, University of Arizona College of Medicine, Phoenix, AZ, United States; Phoenix VA Healthcare System, Phoenix, AZ, United States
| | - Corina O Bondi
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Anthony E Kline
- Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Safar Center for Resuscitation Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States; Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Panlilio LV, Justinova Z. Preclinical Studies of Cannabinoid Reward, Treatments for Cannabis Use Disorder, and Addiction-Related Effects of Cannabinoid Exposure. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:116-141. [PMID: 28845848 PMCID: PMC5719102 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2017] [Revised: 08/17/2017] [Accepted: 08/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis use has become increasingly accepted socially and legally, for both recreational and medicinal purposes. Without reliable information about the effects of cannabis, people cannot make informed decisions regarding its use. Like alcohol and tobacco, cannabis can have serious adverse effects on health, and some people have difficulty discontinuing their use of the drug. Many cannabis users progress to using and becoming addicted to other drugs, but the reasons for this progression are unclear. The natural cannabinoid system of the brain is complex and involved in many functions, including brain development, reward, emotion, and cognition. Animal research provides an objective and controlled means of obtaining information about: (1) how cannabis affects the brain and behavior, (2) whether medications can be developed to treat cannabis use disorder, and (3) whether cannabis might produce lasting changes in the brain that increase the likelihood of becoming addicted to other drugs. This review explains the tactics used to address these issues, evaluates the progress that has been made, and offers some directions for future research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Leigh V Panlilio
- Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, DHHS, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Zuzana Justinova
- Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, NIH, DHHS, Baltimore, MD, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Segal-Gavish H, Gazit N, Barhum Y, Ben-Zur T, Taler M, Hornfeld SH, Gil-Ad I, Weizman A, Slutsky I, Niwa M, Kamiya A, Sawa A, Offen D, Barzilay R. BDNF overexpression prevents cognitive deficit elicited by adolescent cannabis exposure and host susceptibility interaction. Hum Mol Genet 2017; 26:2462-2471. [PMID: 28402427 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddx139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis abuse in adolescence is associated with increased risk of psychotic disorders. Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the primary psychoactive component of cannabis. Disrupted-In-Schizophrenia-1 (DISC1) protein is a driver for major mental illness by influencing neurodevelopmental processes. Here, utilizing a unique mouse model based on host (DISC1) X environment (THC administration) interaction, we aimed at studying the pathobiological basis through which THC exposure elicits psychiatric manifestations. Wild-Type and dominant-negative-DISC1 (DN-DISC1) mice were injected with THC (10 mg/kg) or vehicle for 10 days during mid-adolescence-equivalent period. Behavioral tests were conducted to assess exploratory activity (open field test, light-dark box test) and cognitive function (novel object recognition test). Electrophysiological effect of THC was evaluated using acute hippocampal slices, and hippocampal cannabinoid receptor type 1 and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) protein levels were measured. Our results indicate that THC exposure elicits deficits in exploratory activity and recognition memory, together with reduced short-term synaptic facilitation and loss of BDNF surge in the hippocampus of DN-DISC mice, but not in wild-type mice. Over-expression of BDNF in the hippocampus of THC-treated DN-DISC1 mice prevented the impairment in recognition memory. The results of this study imply that induction of BDNF following adolescence THC exposure may serve as a homeostatic response geared to maintain proper cognitive function against exogenous insult. The BDNF surge in response to THC is perturbed in the presence of mutant DISC1, suggesting DISC1 may be a useful probe to identify biological cascades involved in the neurochemical, electrophysiological, and behavioral effects of cannabis related psychiatric manifestations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hadar Segal-Gavish
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel
| | - Neta Gazit
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Yael Barhum
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel
| | - Tali Ben-Zur
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel
| | - Michal Taler
- Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel
| | - Shay Henry Hornfeld
- Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel
| | - Irit Gil-Ad
- Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel
| | - Abraham Weizman
- Laboratory of Biological Psychiatry, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel.,Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel
| | - Inna Slutsky
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Sackler Faculty of Medicine and Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, 69978 Tel Aviv, Israel
| | - Minae Niwa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Atsushi Kamiya
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Akira Sawa
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Daniel Offen
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel
| | - Ran Barzilay
- Laboratory of Neuroscience, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Rabin Medical Center, Beilinson Campus, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel.,Research Unit, Geha Mental Health Center, 49100 Petach Tikva, Israel
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Cannabinoid reward and aversion effects in the posterior ventral tegmental area are mediated through dissociable opiate receptor subtypes and separate amygdalar and accumbal dopamine receptor substrates. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:2325-2336. [PMID: 28669034 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-017-4669-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2017] [Accepted: 06/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE The ventral tegmental area (VTA) and its projections to the basolateral amygdala (BLA) and nucleus accumbens (NAc) are critical for cannabinoid-related motivational effects. Cannabinoid CB1 receptor (CB1R) transmission modulates VTA dopamine (DA) neuron activity and previous reports demonstrate anatomically segregated effects of CB1R transmission in the VTA. However, the underlying pharmacological and anatomical regions responsible for these effects are currently unknown. OBJECTIVES The objective of the study is to characterize the motivational effects of localized anterior vs. posterior intra-VTA activation vs. blockade of CB1R transmission and the potential role of intra-BLA and intra-NAc DA transmission in these phenomena. METHODS Using a conditioned place preference (CPP) procedure, we administered a CB1 agonist (WIN-55,212-2) or antagonist (AM 251) into the posterior VTA (pVTA) or anterior VTA (aVTA) of rats, combined with intra-BLA or intra-NAc DA receptor blockade and intra-VTA co-administration of selective mu vs. kappa opiate-receptor antagonists. RESULTS Intra-pVTA CB1R activation produced robust rewarding effects through a mu-opiate receptor mechanism whereas CB1R blockade produced conditioned place aversions (CPA) through a kappa-opiate receptor substrate. In contrast, modulation of aVTA CB1R transmission produced no observable effects. Intra-BLA DA receptor blockade prevented the rewarding effects of pVTA CB1R activation, but had no effects on CB1R blockade-induced aversions. In contrast, intra-NAc DA receptor blockade selectively blocked the aversive effects of pVTA CB1R antagonism. CONCLUSIONS Activation vs. blockade of CB1R transmission in the posterior VTA produces bivalent rewarding or aversive effects through separate mu vs. kappa-opiate receptor substrates. These dissociable effects depend on separate DA receptor transmission substrates in the BLA or NAc, respectively.
Collapse
|
30
|
Nubukpo P, Ramoz N, Girard M, Malauzat D, Gorwood P. Determinants of Blood Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor Blood Levels in Patients with Alcohol Use Disorder. Alcohol Clin Exp Res 2017; 41:1280-1287. [PMID: 28485899 DOI: 10.1111/acer.13414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2017] [Accepted: 05/02/2017] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Blood brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels are influenced by both addiction and mood disorders, as well as somatic conditions, gender, and genetic polymorphisms, leading to widely varying results. Depressive symptoms and episodes are frequently observed in patients with alcohol use disorder, and vary widely over time, making it a challenge to determine which aspects are specifically involved in variations of serum BDNF levels in this population. METHODS We assessed 227 patients with alcohol dependence involved in a detoxification program, at baseline and after a follow-up of 6 months, for the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test score, the length of alcohol dependence, and the number of past detoxification programs. The Beck Depression Inventory and information on current tobacco and alcohol use, suicidal ideation, body mass index, age, gender, and psychotropic treatments were also collected. Serum BDNF (ELISA) and 2 genetic polymorphisms of the BDNF gene (Val33Met and rs962369) were analyzed. RESULTS The presence of the Met allele, 2 markers of the history of alcohol dependence (gamma glutamyl transferase and the number of past treatments in detoxification programs), and the presence of a depressive episode (but not depressive score) were significantly associated with the 2 blood levels of BDNF at baseline and after 6 months. After controlling for baseline BDNF levels, the presence of the Met allele and an ongoing depressive episode were the only variables associated with changes in BNDF levels after 6 months. CONCLUSIONS Low serum BDNF levels are associated with characteristics related to alcohol consumption and mood disorders, and variants of the BDNF gene in alcohol use disorder patients. The factors that most strongly influenced changes in serum BDNF levels following treatment in an alcohol detoxification program were variants of the BDNF gene and ongoing depression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Nubukpo
- Pôle d'Addictologie, Centre Hospitalier Esquirol, Limoges, France.,Unité de Recherche et de Neurostimulation, Centre Hospitalier Esquirol, Limoges, France
| | - Nicolas Ramoz
- Inserm UMR894, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Paris, France
| | - Murielle Girard
- Unité de Recherche et de Neurostimulation, Centre Hospitalier Esquirol, Limoges, France
| | - Dominique Malauzat
- Unité de Recherche et de Neurostimulation, Centre Hospitalier Esquirol, Limoges, France
| | - Philip Gorwood
- Inserm UMR894, Centre de Psychiatrie et Neurosciences, Paris, France.,Clinique des Maladies Mentales et de l'Encéphale (CMME), Hôpital Sainte-Anne, Université Paris Descartes, Paris Cedex, France
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Philippot G, Gordh T, Fredriksson A, Viberg H. Adult neurobehavioral alterations in male and female mice following developmental exposure to paracetamol (acetaminophen): characterization of a critical period. J Appl Toxicol 2017; 37:1174-1181. [DOI: 10.1002/jat.3473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2017] [Accepted: 03/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Gaëtan Philippot
- Department of Environmental Toxicology; Uppsala University; Sweden
| | - Torsten Gordh
- Department of Surgical Sciences; Uppsala University; Sweden
| | | | - Henrik Viberg
- Department of Environmental Toxicology; Uppsala University; Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Pasquarelli N, Engelskirchen M, Hanselmann J, Endres S, Porazik C, Bayer H, Buck E, Karsak M, Weydt P, Ferger B, Witting A. Evaluation of monoacylglycerol lipase as a therapeutic target in a transgenic mouse model of ALS. Neuropharmacology 2017; 124:157-169. [PMID: 28373073 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2017.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/30/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease of the motor neuron system with limited therapeutic options. While an increasing number of ALS patients can be linked to a small number of autosomal-dominantly inherited cases, most cases are termed sporadic. Both forms are clinically and histopathologically indistinguishable, raising the prospect that they share key pathogenic steps, including potential therapeutic intervention points. The endocannabinoid system is emerging as a versatile, druggable therapeutic target in the CNS and its dysregulation is an early hallmark of neurodegeneration. Whether this is a defense mechanism or part of the pathogenesis remains to be determined. The neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), which is degraded by monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), accumulates in the spinal cords of transgenic models of ALS. We tested the hypothesis that this 2-AG increase is a protective response in the low-copy SOD1G93A mouse model of ALS. We show that oral application of the MAGL inhibitor KML29 delays disease onset, progression and survival. Furthermore, we could demonstrate that KML29 reduced proinflammatory cytokines and increased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression levels in the spinal cord, the major site of neurodegeneration in ALS. Moreover, treatment of primary mouse neurons and primary mousecroglia with 2-AG confirmed the neuroprotective and anti-inflammatory action by increasing BDNF and arginase-1 and decreasing proinflammatory cytokines in vitro. In summary, we show that elevating 2-AG levels by MAGL inhibition is a therapeutic target in ALS and demonstrate that the endocannabinoid defense mechanisms can be exploited therapeutically in neurodegenerative diseases. This article is part of the Special Issue entitled "A New Dawn in Cannabinoid Neurobiology".
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noemi Pasquarelli
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, D-89081 Ulm, Germany; CNS Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Straße 65, D-88400 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Michael Engelskirchen
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Johannes Hanselmann
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Sascha Endres
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Christoph Porazik
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, D-89081 Ulm, Germany; CNS Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Straße 65, D-88400 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Hanna Bayer
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Eva Buck
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| | - Meliha Karsak
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ulm University, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, D-89081 Ulm, Germany; Neuronal and Cellular Signal Transduction, Center for Molecular Neurobiology Hamburg (ZMNH), University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (UKE), Martinistr. 52, D-20246 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Patrick Weydt
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, D-89081 Ulm, Germany; Department of Neurology, Ulm University, Oberer Eselsberg 45, D-89081 Ulm, Germany; Department of Neurodegenerative Diseases and Gerontopsychiatry/Neurology, Bonn University, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D-53127 Bonn, Germany.
| | - Boris Ferger
- CNS Diseases Research, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co. KG, Birkendorfer Straße 65, D-88400 Biberach an der Riß, Germany
| | - Anke Witting
- Department of Experimental Neurology, Ulm University, Helmholtzstraße 8/1, D-89081 Ulm, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Philippot G, Nyberg F, Gordh T, Fredriksson A, Viberg H. Short-term exposure and long-term consequences of neonatal exposure to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and ibuprofen in mice. Behav Brain Res 2016; 307:137-44. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Revised: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 04/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
|
34
|
A double-blind, randomized, cross-over, placebo-controlled, pilot trial with Sativex in Huntington’s disease. J Neurol 2016; 263:1390-400. [DOI: 10.1007/s00415-016-8145-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2016] [Revised: 04/25/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
|
35
|
Wscieklica T, de Barros Viana M, Le Sueur Maluf L, Pouza KCP, Spadari RC, Céspedes IC. Alcohol consumption increases locomotion in an open field and induces Fos-immunoreactivity in reward and approach/withdrawal-related neurocircuitries. Alcohol 2016; 50:73-82. [PMID: 26786746 DOI: 10.1016/j.alcohol.2015.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2014] [Revised: 11/17/2015] [Accepted: 11/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Drug addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder characterized by compulsion to seek and take the drug, loss of control in limiting intake and, eventually, the emergence of a negative emotional state when access to the drug is prevented. Both dopamine and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-mediated systems seem to play important roles in the modulation of alcohol abuse and dependence. The present study investigated the effects of alcohol consumption on anxiety and locomotor parameters and on the activation of dopamine and CRF-innervated brain regions. Male Wistar rats were given a choice of two bottles for 31 days, one containing water and the other a solution of saccharin + alcohol. Control animals only received water and a solution of 0.2% saccharin. On the 31st day, animals were tested in the elevated plus-maze and open field, and euthanized immediately after the behavioral tests. An independent group of animals was treated with ethanol and used to measure blood ethanol concentration. Results showed that alcohol intake did not alter behavioral measurements in the plus-maze, but increased the number of crossings in the open field, an index of locomotor activity. Additionally, alcohol intake increased Fos-immunoreactivity (Fos-ir) in the prefrontal cortex, in the shell region of the nucleus accumbens, in the medial and central amygdala, in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis, in the septal region, and in the paraventricular and dorsomedial hypothalamus, structures that have been linked to reward and to approach/withdrawal behavior. These observations might be relevant to a better understanding of the behavioral and physiological alterations that follow alcohol consumption.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tatiana Wscieklica
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, 11060-001 Santos, Brazil
| | - Milena de Barros Viana
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, 11060-001 Santos, Brazil
| | - Luciana Le Sueur Maluf
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, 11060-001 Santos, Brazil
| | | | - Regina Célia Spadari
- Departamento de Biociências, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, 11060-001 Santos, Brazil
| | | |
Collapse
|
36
|
Lou ZY, Yu WB, Chen J, Li L, Jiang LS, Xiao BG, Liu ZG. Neuroprotective Effect Is Driven Through the Upregulation of CB1 Receptor in Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis. J Mol Neurosci 2015; 58:193-200. [PMID: 26411568 DOI: 10.1007/s12031-015-0656-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 09/10/2015] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
During immuno-mediated demyelinating lesions, endocannabinoid system participates in both inflammatory and neurodegenerative damage through several mechanisms that involve neuronal and immune cells. Here, we constructed lentiviral vector to upregulate CB1 receptor (CB1R) in the lumbar spinal cord 5-6 region and observe the effect of clinical score and possible mechanism on the occurrence and development of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE). The results show that overexpression of CB1R delayed the onset of clinical signs and ameliorated the severity of disease. Overexpression of CB1R significantly inhibited the expression of NF-kB/p65 and TLR-4 as well as levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α, followed by a decrease of IL-17 and an increase of IL-10 in the spinal cord of mice. The percentage of M1 marker CD11b(+)CD16/32(+) cells was decreased, while the percentage of M2 marker CD11b(+)CD206(+) and CD11b(+)IL-10(+) cells was elevated in splenic mononuclear cells (MNCs) of mice with overexpression of CB1R. Interestingly, overexpression of CB1R dramatically enhanced the expression of neurotrophic NT-3, BDNF, and GDNF in the spinal cord. These results indicate that local overexpression of CB1R in the spinal cord exhibited neuroprotective effects in EAE, mainly suppressing inflammatory microenvironment and elevating neurotrophic factors, slightly declining IL-1β and IL-17 in the spleen, and increased IL-10 in the brain. Its complexity remains to be carefully considered and further studied in further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Yin Lou
- Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital, Medical College, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen-Bo Yu
- Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jie Chen
- Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital, Medical College, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lin Li
- Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital, Medical College, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Li-Sheng Jiang
- Department of Neurology, Renji Hospital, Medical College, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Bao-Guo Xiao
- Institute of Neurology, Huashan Hospital, Institutes of Brain Science and State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Zhen-Guo Liu
- Department of Neurology, Xinhua Hospital, Medical College, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Korpi ER, den Hollander B, Farooq U, Vashchinkina E, Rajkumar R, Nutt DJ, Hyytiä P, Dawe GS. Mechanisms of Action and Persistent Neuroplasticity by Drugs of Abuse. Pharmacol Rev 2015; 67:872-1004. [DOI: 10.1124/pr.115.010967] [Citation(s) in RCA: 101] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
|
38
|
Winsauer PJ, Filipeanu CM, Weed PF, Sutton JL. Hormonal status and age differentially affect tolerance to the disruptive effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) on learning in female rats. Front Pharmacol 2015; 6:133. [PMID: 26191005 PMCID: PMC4488627 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2015.00133] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2015] [Accepted: 06/15/2015] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The effects of hormone status and age on the development of tolerance to Δ(9)-THC were assessed in sham-operated (intact) or ovariectomized (OVX) female rats that received either intraperitoneal saline or 5.6 mg/kg of Δ(9)-THC daily from postnatal day (PD) 75-180 (early adulthood onward) or PD 35-140 (adolescence onward). During this time, the four groups for each age (i.e., intact/saline, intact/THC, OVX/saline, and OVX/THC) were trained in a learning and performance procedure and dose-effect curves were established for Δ(9)-THC (0.56-56 mg/kg) and the cannabinoid type-1 receptor (CB1R) antagonist rimonabant (0.32-10 mg/kg). Despite the persistence of small rate-decreasing and error-increasing effects in intact and OVX females from both ages during chronic Δ(9)-THC, all of the Δ(9)-THC groups developed tolerance. However, the magnitude of tolerance, as well as the effect of hormone status, varied with the age at which chronic Δ(9)-THC was initiated. There was no evidence of dependence in any of the groups. Hippocampal protein expression of CB1R, AHA1 (a co-chaperone of CB1R) and HSP90β (a molecular chaperone modulated by AHA-1) was affected more by OVX than chronic Δ(9)-THC; striatal protein expression was not consistently affected by either manipulation. Hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor expression varied with age, hormone status, and chronic treatment. Thus, hormonal status differentially affects the development of tolerance to the disruptive effects of delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ(9)-THC) on learning and performance behavior in adolescent, but not adult, female rats. These factors and their interactions also differentially affect cannabinoid signaling proteins in the hippocampus and striatum, and ultimately, neural plasticity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter J. Winsauer
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New OrleansNew Orleans, LA, USA
- Alcohol and Drug Abuse Center of Excellence, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New OrleansNew Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Catalin M. Filipeanu
- Department of Pharmacology, Howard University College of MedicineWashington, DC, USA
| | - Peter F. Weed
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New OrleansNew Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Jessie L. Sutton
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center New OrleansNew Orleans, LA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
Scientific Opinion on the risks for human health related to the presence of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) in milk and other food of animal origin. EFSA J 2015. [DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2015.4141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
|
40
|
Blázquez C, Chiarlone A, Bellocchio L, Resel E, Pruunsild P, García-Rincón D, Sendtner M, Timmusk T, Lutz B, Galve-Roperh I, Guzmán M. The CB₁ cannabinoid receptor signals striatal neuroprotection via a PI3K/Akt/mTORC1/BDNF pathway. Cell Death Differ 2015; 22:1618-29. [PMID: 25698444 PMCID: PMC4563779 DOI: 10.1038/cdd.2015.11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2014] [Revised: 01/15/2015] [Accepted: 01/19/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The CB1 cannabinoid receptor, the main molecular target of endocannabinoids and cannabis active components, is the most abundant G protein-coupled receptor in the mammalian brain. In particular, the CB1 receptor is highly expressed in the basal ganglia, mostly on terminals of medium-sized spiny neurons, where it plays a key neuromodulatory function. The CB1 receptor also confers neuroprotection in various experimental models of striatal damage. However, the assessment of the physiological relevance and therapeutic potential of the CB1 receptor in basal ganglia-related diseases is hampered, at least in part, by the lack of knowledge of the precise mechanism of CB1 receptor neuroprotective activity. Here, by using an array of pharmacological, genetic and pharmacogenetic (designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drug) approaches, we show that (1) CB1 receptor engagement protects striatal cells from excitotoxic death via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt/mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 pathway, which, in turn, (2) induces brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression through the selective activation of BDNF gene promoter IV, an effect that is mediated by multiple transcription factors. To assess the possible functional impact of the CB1/BDNF axis in a neurodegenerative-disease context in vivo, we conducted experiments in the R6/2 mouse, a well-established model of Huntington's disease, in which the CB1 receptor and BDNF are known to be severely downregulated in the dorsolateral striatum. Adeno-associated viral vector-enforced re-expression of the CB1 receptor in the dorsolateral striatum of R6/2 mice allowed the re-expression of BDNF and the concerted rescue of the neuropathological deficits in these animals. Collectively, these findings unravel a molecular link between CB1 receptor activation and BDNF expression, and support the relevance of the CB1/BDNF axis in promoting striatal neuron survival.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C Blázquez
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, and the Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid, Spain
| | - A Chiarlone
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, and the Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid, Spain
| | - L Bellocchio
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, and the Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid, Spain
| | - E Resel
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, and the Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid, Spain
| | - P Pruunsild
- Institute of Gene Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - D García-Rincón
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, and the Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid, Spain
| | - M Sendtner
- Institute of Clinical Neurobiology, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany
| | - T Timmusk
- Institute of Gene Technology, Tallinn University of Technology, Tallinn, Estonia
| | - B Lutz
- Institute of Physiological Chemistry, University Medical Center of the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, Mainz, Germany
| | - I Galve-Roperh
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, and the Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid, Spain
| | - M Guzmán
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED) and Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), Madrid, Spain.,Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology I, School of Biology, Complutense University, and the Instituto Universitario de Investigación Neuroquímica (IUIN), Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Tantimonaco M, Ceci R, Sabatini S, Catani MV, Rossi A, Gasperi V, Maccarrone M. Physical activity and the endocannabinoid system: an overview. Cell Mol Life Sci 2014; 71:2681-98. [PMID: 24526057 PMCID: PMC11113821 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-014-1575-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2013] [Revised: 01/21/2014] [Accepted: 01/23/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Recognized as a "disease modifier", physical activity (PA) is increasingly viewed as a more holistic, cost-saving method for prevention, treatment and management of human disease conditions. The traditional view that PA engages the monoaminergic and endorphinergic systems has been challenged by the discovery of the endocannabinoid system (ECS), composed of endogenous lipids, their target receptors, and metabolic enzymes. Indeed, direct and indirect evidence suggests that the ECS might mediate some of the PA-triggered effects throughout the body. Moreover, it is now emerging that PA itself is able to modulate ECS in different ways. Against this background, in the present review we shall discuss evidence of the cross-talk between PA and the ECS, ranging from brain to peripheral districts and highlighting how ECS must be tightly regulated during PA, in order to maintain its beneficial effects on cognition, mood, and nociception, while avoiding impaired energy metabolism, oxidative stress, and inflammatory processes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mirko Tantimonaco
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Foro Italico University of Rome, Piazza Lauro de Bosis 6, 00135 Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Ceci
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Foro Italico University of Rome, Piazza Lauro de Bosis 6, 00135 Rome, Italy
| | - Stefania Sabatini
- Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, Foro Italico University of Rome, Piazza Lauro de Bosis 6, 00135 Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Valeria Catani
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonello Rossi
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Valeria Gasperi
- Department of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Tor Vergata University of Rome, Via Montpellier 1, 00133 Rome, Italy
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- Center of Integrated Research, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Via Alvaro del Portillo 21, 00128 Rome, Italy
- European Center for Brain Research/Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Keimpema E, Hökfelt T, Harkany T, Doherty P. The molecular interplay between endocannabinoid and neurotrophin signals in the nervous system and beyond. Eur J Neurosci 2014; 39:334-43. [DOI: 10.1111/ejn.12431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2013] [Revised: 10/16/2013] [Accepted: 10/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Erik Keimpema
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology; Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics; Karolinska Institutet; Scheeles väg 1:A1 SE-17177 Stockholm Sweden
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience; Center for Brain Research; Medical University of Vienna; Spitalgasse 4 A-1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Tomas Hökfelt
- Department of Neuroscience; Karolinska Institutet; Stockholm Sweden
| | - Tibor Harkany
- Division of Molecular Neurobiology; Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics; Karolinska Institutet; Scheeles väg 1:A1 SE-17177 Stockholm Sweden
- Department of Molecular Neuroscience; Center for Brain Research; Medical University of Vienna; Spitalgasse 4 A-1090 Vienna Austria
| | - Patrick Doherty
- Wolfson Centre for Age-Related Diseases; King's College London; London SE1 9RT UK
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Kaminitz A, Barzilay R, Segal H, Taler M, Offen D, Gil-Ad I, Mechoulam R, Weizman A. Dominant negative DISC1 mutant mice display specific social behaviour deficits and aberration in BDNF and cannabinoid receptor expression. World J Biol Psychiatry 2014; 15:76-82. [PMID: 24219803 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2013.841993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
UNLABELLED OBJECTIVES. Disrupted in schizophrenia 1 (DISC1) is considered the most prominent candidate gene for schizophrenia. In this study, we aimed to characterize behavioural and brain biochemical traits in a mouse expressing a dominant negative DISC1mutant (DN-DISC1). METHODS DN-DISC1 mice underwent behavioural tests to evaluate object recognition, social preference and social novelty seeking. ELISA was conducted on brain tissue to evaluate BDNF levels. Western blot was employed to measure BDNF receptor (TrkB) and cannabinoid receptor CB1. RESULTS The mutant DISC1 mice displayed deficits in preference to social novelty while both social preference and object recognition were intact. Biochemical analysis of prefrontal cortex and hippocampus revealed a modest reduction in cortical TrkB protein levels of male mice while no differences in BDNF levels were observed. We found sex dependent differences in the expression of cannabinoid-1 receptors. CONCLUSIONS We describe novel behavioural and biochemical abnormalities in the DN-DISC1 mouse model of schizophrenia. The data shows for the first time a possible link between DISC1 mutation and the cannabinoid system.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ayelet Kaminitz
- Biological Psychiatry Lab, Felsenstein Medical Research Center, Beilinson Campus, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University , Israel
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
44
|
Klug M, van den Buuse M. An investigation into "two hit" effects of BDNF deficiency and young-adult cannabinoid receptor stimulation on prepulse inhibition regulation and memory in mice. Front Behav Neurosci 2013; 7:149. [PMID: 24155701 PMCID: PMC3800788 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2013.00149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2013] [Accepted: 10/01/2013] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Reduced brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling has been shown in the frontal cortex and hippocampus in schizophrenia. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether a BDNF deficit would modulate effects of chronic cannabis intake, a well-described risk factor for schizophrenia development. BDNF heterozygous mice (HET) and wild-type controls were chronically treated during weeks 6, 7, and 8 of life with the cannabinoid receptor agonist, CP55,940 (CP). After a 2-week delay, there were no CP-induced deficits in any of the groups in short-term spatial memory in a Y-maze task or novel object recognition memory. Baseline prepulse inhibition (PPI) was lower but average startle was increased in BDNF HET compared to wild-type controls. Acute CP administration before the PPI session caused a marked increase in PPI in male HET mice pre-treated with CP but not in any of the other male groups. In females, there were small increases of PPI in all groups upon acute CP administration. Acute CP administration furthermore reduced startle and this effect was greater in HET mice irrespective of chronic CP pre-treatment. Analysis of the levels of [3H]CP55,940 binding by autoradiography revealed a significant increase in the nucleus accumbens of male BDNF HET mice previously treated with CP but not in any of the other groups or in the caudate nucleus. These results show that BDNF deficiency and chronic young-adult cannabinoid receptor stimulation do not interact in this model on learning and memory later in life. In contrast, male “two hit” mice, but not females, were hypersensitive to the effect of acute CP on sensorimotor gating. These effects may be related to a selective increase of [3H]CP55,940 binding in the nucleus accumbens, reflecting up-regulation of CB1 receptor density in this region. These data could be of relevance to our understanding of differential “two hit” neurodevelopmental mechanisms in schizophrenia.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maren Klug
- Behavioural Neuroscience Laboratory, Mental Health Research Institute Melbourne, VIC, Australia ; Department of Psychology, Swinburne University of Technology Hawthorn, VIC, Australia
| | | |
Collapse
|
45
|
Ferreira-Vieira TH, Bastos CP, Pereira GS, Moreira FA, Massensini AR. A role for the endocannabinoid system in exercise-induced spatial memory enhancement in mice. Hippocampus 2013; 24:79-88. [PMID: 24115292 DOI: 10.1002/hipo.22206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
It is well known that physical exercise has positive effects on cognitive functions and hippocampal plasticity. However, the underlying mechanisms have remained to be further investigated. Here we investigated the hypothesis that the memory-enhancement promoted by physical exercise relies on facilitation of the endocannabinoid system. We observed that the spatial memory tested in the object location paradigm did not persist in sedentary mice, but could be improved by 1 week of treadmill running. In addition, exercise up-regulated CB1 receptor and BDNF expression in the hippocampus. To verify if these changes required CB1 activation, we treated the mice with the selective antagonist, AM251, before each period of physical activity. In line with our hypothesis, this drug prevented the exercise-induced memory enhancement and BDNF expression. Furthermore, AM251 reduced CB1 expression. To test if facilitating the endocannabinoid system signaling would mimic the alterations observed after exercise, we treated sedentary animals during 1 week with the anandamide-hydrolysis inhibitor, URB597. Mice treated with this drug recognized the object in a new location and have increased levels of CB1 and BDNF expression in the hippocampus, showing that potentiating the endocanabinoid system equally benefits memory. In conclusion, the favorable effects of exercise upon spatial memory and BDNF expression depend on facilitation of CB1 receptor signaling, which can be mimic by inhibition of anandamide hydrolysis in sedentary animals. Our results suggest that, at least in part, the promnesic effect of the exercise is dependent of CB1 receptor activation and is mediated by BDNF.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Talita H Ferreira-Vieira
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Abstract
The decline of the immune system appears to be an intractable consequence of aging, leading to increased susceptibility to infections, reduced effectiveness of vaccination and higher incidences of many diseases including osteoporosis and cancer in the elderly. These outcomes can be attributed, at least in part, to a phenomenon known as T cell replicative senescence, a terminal state characterized by dysregulated immune function, loss of the CD28 costimulatory molecule, shortened telomeres and elevated production of proinflammatory cytokines. Senescent CD8 T cells, which accumulate in the elderly, have been shown to frequently bear antigen specificity against cytomegalovirus (CMV), suggesting that this common and persistent infection may drive immune senescence and result in functional and phenotypic changes to the T cell repertoire. Senescent T cells have also been identified in patients with certain cancers, autoimmune diseases and chronic infections, such as HIV. This review discusses the in vivo and in vitro evidence for the contribution of CD8 T cell replicative senescence to a plethora of age-related pathologies and a few possible therapeutic avenues to delay or prevent this differentiative end-state in T cells. The age-associated remodeling of the immune system, through accumulation of senescent T cells has farreaching consequences on the individual and society alike, for the current healthcare system needs to meet the urgent demands of the increasing proportions of the elderly in the US and abroad.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer P Chou
- Dept of Pathology &Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1732, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
47
|
Bilkei-Gorzo A. The endocannabinoid system in normal and pathological brain ageing. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2013; 367:3326-41. [PMID: 23108550 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2011.0388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 92] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The role of endocannabinoids as inhibitory retrograde transmitters is now widely known and intensively studied. However, endocannabinoids also influence neuronal activity by exerting neuroprotective effects and regulating glial responses. This review centres around this less-studied area, focusing on the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying the protective effect of the cannabinoid system in brain ageing. The progression of ageing is largely determined by the balance between detrimental, pro-ageing, largely stochastic processes, and the activity of the homeostatic defence system. Experimental evidence suggests that the cannabinoid system is part of the latter system. Cannabinoids as regulators of mitochondrial activity, as anti-oxidants and as modulators of clearance processes protect neurons on the molecular level. On the cellular level, the cannabinoid system regulates the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor and neurogenesis. Neuroinflammatory processes contributing to the progression of normal brain ageing and to the pathogenesis of neurodegenerative diseases are suppressed by cannabinoids, suggesting that they may also influence the ageing process on the system level. In good agreement with the hypothesized beneficial role of cannabinoid system activity against brain ageing, it was shown that animals lacking CB1 receptors show early onset of learning deficits associated with age-related histological and molecular changes. In preclinical models of neurodegenerative disorders, cannabinoids show beneficial effects, but the clinical evidence regarding their efficacy as therapeutic tools is either inconclusive or still missing.
Collapse
|
48
|
Molecular mechanisms of cannabinoid addiction. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2013; 23:487-92. [PMID: 23490548 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2013.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2012] [Revised: 01/16/2013] [Accepted: 02/04/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cannabis is the world's most widely used illicit substance, with an estimated number of 119-224 million users worldwide. In recent years we assisted to an increased effort aimed to individuate the brain circuits underlying cannabis addiction and dependence. Similarly to other drugs of abuse, repeated exposure to cannabinoids causes brain neuroadaptations that persist long after drug effects, contribute to the negative affective states during withdrawal, and ultimately facilitate relapse. Recently, considerable progress has been made in understanding the cellular and molecular consequences of prolonged cannabis use, among which is the identification of specific set of transcriptional regulations that develop differently after chronic cannabinoids and in the abstinent brain.
Collapse
|
49
|
Chou JP, Effros RB. T cell replicative senescence in human aging. Curr Pharm Des 2013; 19:1680-98. [PMID: 23061726 PMCID: PMC3749774 DOI: 10.2174/138161213805219711] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 10/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The decline of the immune system appears to be an intractable consequence of aging, leading to increased susceptibility to infections, reduced effectiveness of vaccination and higher incidences of many diseases including osteoporosis and cancer in the elderly. These outcomes can be attributed, at least in part, to a phenomenon known as T cell replicative senescence, a terminal state characterized by dysregulated immune function, loss of the CD28 costimulatory molecule, shortened telomeres and elevated production of proinflammatory cytokines. Senescent CD8 T cells, which accumulate in the elderly, have been shown to frequently bear antigen specificity against cytomegalovirus (CMV), suggesting that this common and persistent infection may drive immune senescence and result in functional and phenotypic changes to the T cell repertoire. Senescent T cells have also been identified in patients with certain cancers, autoimmune diseases and chronic infections, such as HIV. This review discusses the in vivo and in vitro evidence for the contribution of CD8 T cell replicative senescence to a plethora of age-related pathologies and a few possible therapeutic avenues to delay or prevent this differentiative end-state in T cells. The age-associated remodeling of the immune system, through accumulation of senescent T cells has farreaching consequences on the individual and society alike, for the current healthcare system needs to meet the urgent demands of the increasing proportions of the elderly in the US and abroad.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer P Chou
- Dept of Pathology &Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1732, USA
| | | |
Collapse
|
50
|
Hou SW, Liu CY, Li YH, Yu JZ, Feng L, Liu YT, Guo MF, Xie Y, Meng J, Zhang HF, Xiao BG, Ma CG. Fasudil ameliorates disease progression in experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, acting possibly through antiinflammatory effect. CNS Neurosci Ther 2012; 18:909-17. [PMID: 22994384 DOI: 10.1111/cns.12002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2012] [Revised: 07/20/2012] [Accepted: 08/03/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
AIM The purpose of this investigation was to further explore the mechanism(s) underlying the amelioration in EAE caused by Fasudil, particularly focusing on anti-inflammatory effect. METHODS We induced a chronic-progressive experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) in B6 mice immunized with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein(35-55) and performed Fasudil intervention in early and late stages of the disease. RESULTS The administration of Fasudil (40 mg/kg, i.p) had a therapeutic effect in delaying the onset and ameliorating the severity of EAE, accompanied by the improvement in myelination and the decrease in inflammatory cells in spinal cords. Fasudil inhibited TLR-4, p-NF-kB/p65, and inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and enhanced IL-10 production in spinal cords. The ratio of arginase/iNOS was enhanced mainly in the spinal cords of EAE mice treated with Fasudil, reflecting a shift toward the M2 (antiinflammation) macrophage/microglia phenotype. The administration of Fasudil also induced the upregulation of CB2 receptor in spinal cords, but did not significantly trigger CB1 receptor. Levels of neurotrophic factors NGF, BDNF, and GDNF in the CNS were not altered by Fasudil. CONCLUSION Fasudil ameliorates disease progression in EAE, acting possibly through antiinflammatory pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shao-Wei Hou
- Department of Neurology, Medical School, Institute of Brain Science, Shanxi Datong University, Datong, China
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|