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Liu R, Liu N, Ma L, Liu Y, Huang Z, Peng X, Zhuang C, Niu J, Yu J, Du J. Research Progress on NMDA Receptor Enhancement Drugs for the Treatment of Depressive Disorder. CNS Drugs 2024:10.1007/s40263-024-01123-x. [PMID: 39379772 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-024-01123-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 09/05/2024] [Indexed: 10/10/2024]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a severe mental illness with a complex etiology. Currently, many medications employed in clinical treatment exhibit limitations such as delayed onset of action and a high incidence of adverse reactions. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop antidepressants that exhibit enhanced efficacy and safety. The N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR), a distinctive glutamate-gated ion channel receptor, has been implicated in the onset and progression of depressive disorder, as evidenced by both preclinical and clinical research. The NMDAR antagonist, ketamine, exhibits rapid and sustained antidepressant effects, holding promise as a novel therapeutic approach for depressive disorder. However, its psychotomimetic impact and potential for addiction have restricted its widespread clinical application. Notably, over the past decade, studies have suggested that enhancing NMDAR functionality can produce antidepressant effects with improved safety, especially with the emergence of NMDAR-positive allosteric modulators (PAMs). We view this as a potential novel strategy for treating depression, forming the basis for the narrative review that follows.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruyun Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Ning Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Lin Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Yue Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Zhuo Huang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaodong Peng
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
| | - Chunlin Zhuang
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jianguo Niu
- Ningxia Key Laboratory of Cerebrocranial Diseases, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
- School of Basic Medicine, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
| | - Jianqiang Yu
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
| | - Juan Du
- School of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, 1160 Shengli St, Xingqing District, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China.
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Padhan M, Mohapatra D, Mishra BR, Maiti R, Jena M. Efficacy and safety of add-on sarcosine in patients with major depressive disorder: A randomized controlled trial. J Psychiatr Res 2024; 178:298-304. [PMID: 39180989 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.08.026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 08/27/2024]
Abstract
The main hurdles with current therapies for major depressive disorder (MDD) include lack of efficacy, therapeutic latency, and adverse drug reactions. Add-on therapy to conventional antidepressants may result in better therapeutic outcomes to overcome these obstacles. Sarcosine (N-methyl glycine), an endogenous amino acid that acts by modulating the NMDA receptor, is available as a dietary supplement. So, the present study was planned to evaluate the efficacy and safety of add-on sarcosine to SSRIs in MDD. In the present randomized, double-blind clinical trial (NCT04975100), 60 eligible participants with MDD were randomly assigned to either the test group (SSRI + sarcosine) or the control group (SSRI + placebo). Clinical and biochemical parameters like MADRS, CGI, serum BDNF, and serum glycine were assessed at baseline and eight weeks. The mean reduction in MADRS score was significant in both the control (-8.7, 95% CI: -11.0 to -6.4, p < 0.001) and the test group (-13.3, 95% CI: -14.9 to -11.7, p < 0.001), but the change in the test group was significantly greater (-4.6, 95% CI: -7.5 to -1.7, p = 0.003). The test group had a significantly higher response rate (p = 0.007) and remission rate (p = 0.038) compared to the control group. There was a significant increase in serum BDNF in both groups; however, the change in the test group was significantly higher than in the control group (p = 0.041). Similarly, the test group had a significantly higher increase in serum glycine than the control group (p < 0.001). Sarcosine may be considered an efficacious and safe add-on therapy to standard SSRIs in the management of MDD. ClinicalTrial.gov IdentifierNCT04975100.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milan Padhan
- Dept. of Pharmacology All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India.
| | - Debadatta Mohapatra
- Dept. of Psychiatry All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India.
| | - Biswa Ranjan Mishra
- Dept. of Psychiatry All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India.
| | - Rituparna Maiti
- Dept. of Pharmacology All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India.
| | - Monalisa Jena
- Dept. of Pharmacology All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bhubaneswar, India.
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Supplisson S. Dynamic role of GlyT1 as glycine sink or source: Pharmacological implications for the gain control of NMDA receptors. Neuroscience 2024:S0306-4522(24)00350-6. [PMID: 39059742 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2024.07.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2024] [Revised: 07/03/2024] [Accepted: 07/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024]
Abstract
Glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) mediates the termination of inhibitory glycinergic receptor signaling in the spinal cord and brainstem, and is also present diffusely in the forebrain. Here, it regulates the ambient glycine concentration and influences the 'glycine' site occupancy of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs). GlyT1 is a reversible transporter with a substantial, but not excessive, sodium-motive force for uphill transport. This study investigates its role as a potential source of glycine supply, either by reverse uptake or heteroexchange. Indeed, glutamate alone does not induce NMDAR current in "naive" oocytes co-expressing GluN1/GluN2A and GlyT1, a previously characterized cellular model. However, after substantial intracellular glycine accumulation, GlyT1 reverses its transport mode, and begins to release glycine into the external compartment, allowing NMDAR activation by glutamate alone. These uptake-dependent glutamate currents were blocked by ALX-5407 and potentiated by sarcosine, a specific inhibitor and substrate of GlyT1, respectively, suggesting a higher occupancy of the co-agonist site when GlyT1 functions as a glycine source either by reversed-uptake or by heteroexchange. These two glycine release mechanisms can be distinguished by their voltage dependence, as the reversed-uptake cycle decreases at hyperpolarized potentials, whereas heteroexchange electroneutrality preserves glycine efflux and NMDAR activation at these potentials. These results establish GlyT1-mediated efflux as a positive regulator of NMDAR coagonist site occupancy, and demonstrate the efficacy of sarcosine heteroexchange in enhancing coagonist site occupancy. Because NMDAR facilitation by GlyT1-inhibitors and sarcosine relies on different transport mechanisms, their actions may be a source of variability in reversing NMDAR hypofunction in schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stéphane Supplisson
- Institut de Biologie de l'ENS (IBENS), Ecole normale supérieure, Université PSL, CNRS, INSERM, Paris, F-75005, France.
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Galambos AR, Papp ZT, Boldizsár I, Zádor F, Köles L, Harsing LG, Al-Khrasani M. Glycine Transporter 1 Inhibitors: Predictions on Their Possible Mechanisms in the Development of Opioid Analgesic Tolerance. Biomedicines 2024; 12:421. [PMID: 38398023 PMCID: PMC10886540 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12020421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of opioid tolerance in patients on long-term opioid analgesic treatment is an unsolved matter in clinical practice thus far. Dose escalation is required to restore analgesic efficacy, but at the price of side effects. Intensive research is ongoing to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of opioid analgesic tolerance in the hope of maintaining opioid analgesic efficacy. N-Methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists have shown promising effects regarding opioid analgesic tolerance; however, their use is limited by side effects (memory dysfunction). Nevertheless, the GluN2B receptor remains a future target for the discovery of drugs to restore opioid efficacy. Mechanistically, the long-term activation of µ-opioid receptors (MORs) initiates receptor phosphorylation, which triggers β-arrestin-MAPKs and NOS-GC-PKG pathway activation, which ultimately ends with GluN2B receptor overactivation and glutamate release. The presence of glutamate and glycine as co-agonists is a prerequisite for GluN2B receptor activation. The extrasynaptic localization of the GluN2B receptor means it is influenced by the glycine level, which is regulated by astrocytic glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1). Enhanced astrocytic glycine release by reverse transporter mechanisms as a consequence of high glutamate levels or unconventional MOR activation on astrocytes could further activate the GluN2B receptor. GlyT1 inhibitors might inhibit this condition, thereby reducing opioid tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Rita Galambos
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvá-rad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (A.R.G.); (Z.T.P.); (I.B.); (F.Z.)
| | - Zsolt Tamás Papp
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvá-rad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (A.R.G.); (Z.T.P.); (I.B.); (F.Z.)
| | - Imre Boldizsár
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvá-rad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (A.R.G.); (Z.T.P.); (I.B.); (F.Z.)
| | - Ferenc Zádor
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvá-rad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (A.R.G.); (Z.T.P.); (I.B.); (F.Z.)
| | - László Köles
- Department of Oral Biology, Semmelweis University, H-1089 Budapest, Hungary;
| | - Laszlo G. Harsing
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvá-rad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (A.R.G.); (Z.T.P.); (I.B.); (F.Z.)
| | - Mahmoud Al-Khrasani
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Semmelweis University, Nagyvá-rad tér 4, H-1445 Budapest, Hungary; (A.R.G.); (Z.T.P.); (I.B.); (F.Z.)
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Hsiao YC, Lee MY, Chan MH, Chen HH. NMDA Receptor Glycine Binding Site Modulators for Prevention and Treatment of Ketamine Use Disorder. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:812. [PMID: 37375760 DOI: 10.3390/ph16060812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ketamine offers a fast-acting approach to relieving treatment-resistant depression, but its abuse potential is an issue of concern. As ketamine is a noncompetitive N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) ion channel blocker, modulation of NMDAR might be an effective strategy to counteract the abuse liability of ketamine and even to treat ketamine use disorder. This study evaluated whether NMDAR modulators that act on glycine binding sites can decrease motivation to obtain ketamine and reduce reinstatement to ketamine-seeking behavior. Two NMDAR modulators, D-serine and sarcosine were examined. Male Sprague-Dawley rats underwent training to acquire the ability to self-administer ketamine. The motivation to self-administer ketamine or sucrose pellets was examined under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule. The reinstatement of ketamine-seeking and sucrose pellet-seeking behaviors were assessed after extinction. The results showed that both D-serine and sarcosine significantly decreased the breakpoints for ketamine and prevented reinstatement of ketamine seeking. However, these modulators did not alter motivated behavior for sucrose pellets, the ability of the cue and sucrose pellets to reinstate sucrose-seeking behavior or spontaneous locomotor activity. These findings indicate that two NMDAR modulators can specifically reduce the measures of motivation and relapse for ketamine in rats, suggesting that targeting the glycine binding site of the NMDAR is a promising approach for preventing and treating ketamine use disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Chin Hsiao
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan, Miaoli County 35053, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yi Lee
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan, Miaoli County 35053, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Huan Chan
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Chengchi University, 64, Sec. 2, ZhiNan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei City 11605, Taiwan
- Research Center for Mind, Brain, and Learning, National Chengchi University, 64, Sec. 2, ZhiNan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei City 11605, Taiwan
| | - Hwei-Hsien Chen
- Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan, Miaoli County 35053, Taiwan
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Chengchi University, 64, Sec. 2, ZhiNan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei City 11605, Taiwan
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Ketamine, benzoate, and sarcosine for treating depression. Neuropharmacology 2023; 223:109351. [PMID: 36423705 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Studies have demonstrated the beneficial therapeutic effects of sarcosine, benzoate, and ketamine (including esketamine and arketamine) on depression. These drugs mainly act by modulating N-methyl-d-aspartate glutamate receptors (NMDARs) and reducing inflammation in the brain. Although ketamine, benzoate, and sarcosine act differently as the antagonists or coagonists of NMDARs, they all have demonstrated efficacy in animal models or human trials. In vitro and in vivo studies have indicated that sarcosine, benzoate, and ketamine exert their anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting microglial activity. This review summarizes and compares the efficacy of the possible therapeutic mechanisms of sarcosine, benzoate, ketamine, esketamine, and arketamine. These compounds act as both NMDAR modulators and anti-inflammatory drugs and thus can be effective in the treatment of depression.
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Sarcosine (glycine transporter inhibitor) attenuates behavioural and biochemical changes induced by ketamine, in the rat model of schizophrenia. Exp Brain Res 2023; 241:451-467. [PMID: 36577922 DOI: 10.1007/s00221-022-06530-4] [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: 05/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a neurological disorder that alters the behavior and affects the quality of life of a patient. It is characterized by hallucinations, disorganized behavior, cognitive dysfunction, hyperlocomotion, and loss of the reward system. Schizophrenia constitutes three symptoms' domains, viz. positive, negative and cognitive. Typical and atypical antipsychotics do not fully resolve all the symptoms' domains thus paving the way to the genesis of the glutamatergic hypothesis, i.e. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor hypofunction in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia. Positive modulation of NMDA receptors by enhancing co-agonist, glycine effect is proposed to produce a therapeutic effect in schizophrenia. Hence, sarcosine (N-methyl glycine), natural amino acid, and a glycine transporter inhibitor (GlyT-1) which also acts on NMDA receptors were used in the present study. The present study unravels the role of sarcosine in the attenuation of ketamine-induced three symptom domains in a rat model through modulation of oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammatory pathways. The animal model of schizophrenia was established by injecting ketamine intraperitoneal (ip) at a 30 mg/kg dose for 10 consecutive days, after which sarcosine (300, 600 mg/kg, ip) as a treatment was given for 7 days followed by behavioral, biochemical, molecular, and histopathological analysis. It was revealed that sarcosine reversed ketamine-induced behavioral impairments. Moreover, sarcosine ameliorated oxidative and nitrosative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and neuroinflammation and showed protective effects in histopathological examination by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Hence, conclusively, sarcosine was regarded to attenuate the behavioural symptoms of schizophrenia by alleviating oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction established by the ketamine.
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Cuesta S, Burdisso P, Segev A, Kourrich S, Sperandio V. Gut colonization by Proteobacteria alters host metabolism and modulates cocaine neurobehavioral responses. Cell Host Microbe 2022; 30:1615-1629.e5. [PMID: 36323315 PMCID: PMC9669251 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Gut-microbiota membership is associated with diverse neuropsychological outcomes, including substance use disorders (SUDs). Here, we use mice colonized with Citrobacter rodentium or the human γ-Proteobacteria commensal Escherichia coli HS as a model to examine the mechanistic interactions between gut microbes and host responses to cocaine. We find that cocaine exposure increases intestinal norepinephrine levels that are sensed through the bacterial adrenergic receptor QseC to promote intestinal colonization of γ-Proteobacteria. Colonized mice show enhanced host cocaine-induced behaviors. The neuroactive metabolite glycine, a bacterial nitrogen source, is depleted in the gut and cerebrospinal fluid of colonized mice. Systemic glycine repletion reversed, and γ-Proteobacteria mutated for glycine uptake did not alter the host response to cocaine. γ-Proteobacteria modulated glycine levels are linked to cocaine-induced transcriptional plasticity in the nucleus accumbens through glutamatergic transmission. The mechanism outline here could potentially be exploited to modulate reward-related brain circuits that contribute to SUDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santiago Cuesta
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
| | - Paula Burdisso
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET-UNR) and Plataforma Argentina de Biología Estructural y Metabolómica (PLABEM), Rosario, Santa Fe, Argentina
| | - Amir Segev
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas, TX 75390, USA
| | - Saïd Kourrich
- Département des Sciences Biologiques, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, Canada; The Center of Excellence in Research on Orphan Diseases - Foundation Courtois, Université du Québec à Montréal, Montréal, QC, Canada; Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Vanessa Sperandio
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI 53706, USA; Department of Microbiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA.
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de Bartolomeis A, Vellucci L, Austin MC, De Simone G, Barone A. Rational and Translational Implications of D-Amino Acids for Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia: From Neurobiology to the Clinics. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12070909. [PMID: 35883465 PMCID: PMC9312470 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070909] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Revised: 06/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia has been conceptualized as a neurodevelopmental disorder with synaptic alterations and aberrant cortical–subcortical connections. Antipsychotics are the mainstay of schizophrenia treatment and nearly all share the common feature of dopamine D2 receptor occupancy, whereas glutamatergic abnormalities are not targeted by the presently available therapies. D-amino acids, acting as N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) modulators, have emerged in the last few years as a potential augmentation strategy in those cases of schizophrenia that do not respond well to antipsychotics, a condition defined as treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS), affecting almost 30–40% of patients, and characterized by serious cognitive deficits and functional impairment. In the present systematic review, we address with a direct and reverse translational perspective the efficacy of D-amino acids, including D-serine, D-aspartate, and D-alanine, in poor responders. The impact of these molecules on the synaptic architecture is also considered in the light of dendritic spine changes reported in schizophrenia and antipsychotics’ effect on postsynaptic density proteins. Moreover, we describe compounds targeting D-amino acid oxidase and D-aspartate oxidase enzymes. Finally, other drugs acting at NMDAR and proxy of D-amino acids function, such as D-cycloserine, sarcosine, and glycine, are considered in the light of the clinical burden of TRS, together with other emerging molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea de Bartolomeis
- Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment-Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.V.); (G.D.S.); (A.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-081-7463673 or +39-081-7463884 or +39-3662745592; Fax: +39-081-7462644
| | - Licia Vellucci
- Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment-Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.V.); (G.D.S.); (A.B.)
| | - Mark C. Austin
- Clinical Psychopharmacology Program, College of Pharmacy, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209, USA;
| | - Giuseppe De Simone
- Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment-Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.V.); (G.D.S.); (A.B.)
| | - Annarita Barone
- Laboratory of Translational and Molecular Psychiatry and Unit of Treatment-Resistant Psychosis, Section of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Sciences and Dentistry, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy; (L.V.); (G.D.S.); (A.B.)
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Harhai M, Harsing, Jr LG. An Overview of Glycine Transporter Subtype 1 Inhibitors Under Preclinical and Clinical Evaluation for the Treatment of Alcohol Abuse. CURRENT PSYCHIATRY RESEARCH AND REVIEWS 2022. [DOI: 10.2174/2666082218666220126111415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:
Being a historical issue that withstands multiple societal control measures, alcohol abuse remains a major healthcare problem. Despite worldwide efforts to limit consumption and educate people about its effects, consumption rates remain unchanged. Alcohol abuse arises from chronic alcohol exposure-caused permanent synaptic plasticity changes in the brain. These manifest in life-threatening withdrawal symptoms and drive relapse even after detoxification and treatment. Since ethanol has multiple targets in the human brain, it warrants a multiapproach therapy; here we introduce the potential therapeutic effects of glycine transporter subtype 1 inhibitors. We have listed the various glycine transporter 1 inhibitors used in studies of alcoholism and how they influenced glycine release from rat hippocampus was demonstrated in a preliminary study. Glycine transporters modulate both glutamatergic and glycinergic pathways: (i) glutamatergic neurotransmission plays an important role in the development of chronic changes in alcoholism as daily alcohol administration was shown to increase N-methyl-D-aspartic acid receptor activity long-term, and (ii) ethanol has access to the dopaminergic reward system via glycine receptors, being an allosteric modulator of glycine receptors. This manuscript summarises the progress and development of glycine transporter 1 inhibitors, characterizing them by their mode of action, adverse effects, and discusses their clinical applicability. Furthermore, we highlight the progress in the latest clinical trials, outline currently applied treatment methods, and offer suggestions for implementing glycine transporter 1 inhibitors into the long-term treatment of alcohol abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcell Harhai
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Laszlo G. Harsing, Jr
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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Veselinović T, Neuner I. Progress and Pitfalls in Developing Agents to Treat Neurocognitive Deficits Associated with Schizophrenia. CNS Drugs 2022; 36:819-858. [PMID: 35831706 PMCID: PMC9345797 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-022-00935-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Cognitive impairments associated with schizophrenia (CIAS) represent a central element of the symptomatology of this severe mental disorder. CIAS substantially determine the disease prognosis and hardly, if at all, respond to treatment with currently available antipsychotics. Remarkably, all drugs presently approved for the treatment of schizophrenia are, to varying degrees, dopamine D2/D3 receptor blockers. In turn, rapidly growing evidence suggests the immense significance of systems other than the dopaminergic system in the genesis of CIAS. Accordingly, current efforts addressing the unmet needs of patients with schizophrenia are primarily based on interventions in other non-dopaminergic systems. In this review article, we provide a brief overview of the available evidence on the importance of specific systems in the development of CIAS. In addition, we describe the promising targets for the development of new drugs that have been used so far. In doing so, we present the most important candidates that have been investigated in the field of the specific systems in recent years and present a summary of the results available at the time of drafting this review (May 2022), as well as the currently ongoing studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanja Veselinović
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany.
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, INM-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany.
| | - Irene Neuner
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstrasse 30, 52074, Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine 4, INM-4, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Jülich, Germany
- JARA-BRAIN, Aachen, Germany
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Frouni I, Belliveau S, Maddaford S, Nuara SG, Gourdon JC, Huot P. Effect of the glycine transporter 1 inhibitor ALX-5407 on dyskinesia, psychosis-like behaviours and parkinsonism in the MPTP-lesioned marmoset. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 910:174452. [PMID: 34480885 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Dyskinesia and psychosis are complications encountered in advanced Parkinson's disease (PD) following long-term therapy with L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA). Disturbances in the glutamatergic system have been associated with both dyskinesia and psychosis, making glutamatergic modulation a potential therapeutic approach for these. Treatments thus far have sought to dampen glutamatergic transmission, for example through blockade of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors or modulation of metabotropic glutamate receptors 5. In contrast, activation of the glycine-binding site on NMDA receptors is required for their physiological response. Here, we investigated whether indirectly enhancing glutamatergic transmission through inhibition of glycine re-uptake would be efficacious in diminishing both dyskinesia and psychosis-like behaviours (PLBs) in the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-lesioned common marmoset. Six marmosets were rendered parkinsonian by MPTP injection. Following repeated administration of L-DOPA to induce dyskinesia and PLBs, they underwent acute challenges of the glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) inhibitor ALX-5407 (0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg/kg) or vehicle, in combination with L-DOPA, after which the severity of dyskinesia, PLBs and parkinsonian disability was evaluated. In combination with L-DOPA, ALX-5407 0.1 and 1 mg/kg significantly reduced the severity of dyskinesia, by 51% and 41% (both P < 0.001), when compared to vehicle. ALX-5407 0.01, 0.1 and 1 mg/kg also decreased the severity of global PLBs, by 25%, 51% and 38% (all P < 0.001), when compared to vehicle. The benefits on dyskinesia and PLBs were achieved without compromising the therapeutic effect of L-DOPA on parkinsonism. Our results suggest that GlyT1 inhibition may be a novel strategy to attenuate dyskinesia and PLBs in PD, without interfering with L-DOPA anti-parkinsonian action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imane Frouni
- Neurodegenerative Disease Group, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital (The Neuro), Montreal, QC, Canada; Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Sébastien Belliveau
- Neurodegenerative Disease Group, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital (The Neuro), Montreal, QC, Canada
| | | | - Stephen G Nuara
- Comparative Medicine & Animal Resource Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Jim C Gourdon
- Comparative Medicine & Animal Resource Centre, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada
| | - Philippe Huot
- Neurodegenerative Disease Group, Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital (The Neuro), Montreal, QC, Canada; Département de Pharmacologie et Physiologie, Université de Montréal, Montreal, QC, Canada; Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada; Movement Disorder Clinic, Division of Neurology, Department of Neuroscience, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada.
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13
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Ünlüer ÖB, Altunkök N, Özkütük EB, Ersöz A. Graphenoxide Cross-Linker Based Potentiometric Biosensor Design For Sarcosine Determination. Protein Pept Lett 2021; 28:1303-1311. [PMID: 34629039 DOI: 10.2174/0929866528666211008160111] [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: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 08/02/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sarcosine, also known as N-methyl glycine, is a natural amino acid that is an intermediate and by product in glycine synthesis and degradation. Recently found in many peptides, sarcosine has been researched as a newly accepted prostate cancer marker. The increased concentration of sarcosine in blood serum and the urine showed that malignancy of measured prostate cancer cells is active. OBJECTIVE In this article, we aimed to design a potentiometric biosensor for detection of sarcosine with a low detection limit, high selectivity, short response time, wide linear range, and satisfactory long-term stability. METHODS In this article, we developed a new Graphene oxide (GFOX) photosensitive cross- linker based potentiometric biosensor based on the AmiNoAcid (monomer) Decorated and Light Underpinning Conjugation Approach (ANADOLUCA) method. The functional groups determined using Raman, FT-IR, XPS analyzes, and surface characterization, the morphology of synthesized GFOX photosensitive cross-linker were determined by TEM and AFM studies. Then, the performance of the GFOX based potentiometric biosensor has been evaluated. RESULTS When the usage of the developed GFOX doped potentiometric biosensor against sarcosine determination, it was found that 10 -4 mM sarcosine was determined in 60 seconds in the solution. In addition, the detection limit of the GFOX doped potentiometric biosensor was found to be 9.45x10 -7 mM, and the linear potentiometric biosensor was found to be in the concentration range of 10 -1 to 10 -5 mM. The selectivity studies of the developed potentiometric biosensor were investigated using glycine solutions, and it was determined that GFOX doped potentiometric biosensor was more selective against sarcosine. Besides this, a reusability test using 10 -3 mM sarcosine solution showed that reproducible studies were performed without the loss of potential of designed potentiometric biosensor and no loss of sensitivity. CONCLUSION After applying the framework, we get a new potentiometric biosensor for sarcosine determination. GFOX photosensitive cross-linker was used in designing potentiometric biosensors, and this increased the stability and efficiency of the biosensor. Therefore, the developed potentiometric biosensor for sarcosine determination could be easily used for the early diagnosis of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Özlem Biçen Ünlüer
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Eskişehir Technical University, Eskişehir. Turkey
| | - Nazire Altunkök
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Literature, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir. Turkey
| | - Ebru Birlik Özkütük
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences and Literature, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir. Turkey
| | - Arzu Ersöz
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Eskişehir Technical University, Eskişehir. Turkey
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14
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Barsch L, Werdehausen R, Leffler A, Eulenburg V. Modulation of Glycinergic Neurotransmission may Contribute to the Analgesic Effects of Propacetamol. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11040493. [PMID: 33805979 PMCID: PMC8064320 DOI: 10.3390/biom11040493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2021] [Revised: 03/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/22/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Treating neuropathic pain remains challenging, and therefore new pharmacological strategies are urgently required. Here, the enhancement of glycinergic neurotransmission by either facilitating glycine receptors (GlyR) or inhibiting glycine transporter (GlyT) function to increase extracellular glycine concentration appears promising. Propacetamol is a N,N-diethylester of acetaminophen, a non-opioid analgesic used to treat mild pain conditions. In vivo, it is hydrolysed into N,N-diethylglycine (DEG) and acetaminophen. DEG has structural similarities to known alternative GlyT1 substrates. In this study, we analyzed possible effects of propacetamol, or its metabolite N,N-diethylglycine (DEG), on GlyRs or GlyTs function by using a two-electrode voltage clamp approach in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Our data demonstrate that, although propacetamol or acetaminophen had no effect on the function of the analysed glycine-responsive proteins, the propacetamol metabolite DEG acted as a low-affine substrate for both GlyT1 (EC50 > 7.6 mM) and GlyT2 (EC50 > 5.2 mM). It also acted as a mild positive allosteric modulator of GlyRα1 function at intermediate concentrations. Taken together, our data show that DEG influences both glycine transporter and receptor function, and therefore could facilitate glycinergic neurotransmission in a multimodal manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Barsch
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (L.B.); (R.W.)
| | - Robert Werdehausen
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (L.B.); (R.W.)
| | - Andreas Leffler
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Hannover Medical School, 30625 Hannover, Germany;
| | - Volker Eulenburg
- Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care, Medical Faculty, University of Leipzig, 04103 Leipzig, Germany; (L.B.); (R.W.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-341-9710598
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15
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Kato Y, Kuwabara H, Okada T, Munesue T, Benner S, Kuroda M, Kojima M, Yassin W, Eriguchi Y, Kameno Y, Murayama C, Nishimura T, Tsuchiya K, Kasai K, Ozaki N, Kosaka H, Yamasue H. Oxytocin-induced increase in N,N-dimethylglycine and time course of changes in oxytocin efficacy for autism social core symptoms. Mol Autism 2021; 12:15. [PMID: 33622389 PMCID: PMC7903697 DOI: 10.1186/s13229-021-00423-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Oxytocin is expected as a novel therapeutic agent for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) core symptoms. However, previous results on the efficacy of repeated administrations of oxytocin are controversial. Recently, we reported time-course changes in the efficacy of the neuropeptide underlying the controversial effects of repeated administration; however, the underlying mechanisms remained unknown. Methods The current study explored metabolites representing the molecular mechanisms of oxytocin’s efficacy using high-throughput metabolomics analysis on plasma collected before and after 6-week repeated intranasal administration of oxytocin (48 IU/day) or placebo in adult males with ASD (N = 106) who participated in a multi-center, parallel-group, double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized controlled trial. Results Among the 35 metabolites measured, a significant increase in N,N-dimethylglycine was detected in the subjects administered oxytocin compared with those given placebo at a medium effect size (false discovery rate (FDR) corrected P = 0.043, d = 0.74, N = 83). Furthermore, subgroup analyses of the participants displaying a prominent time-course change in oxytocin efficacy revealed a significant effect of oxytocin on N,N-dimethylglycine levels with a large effect size (PFDR = 0.004, d = 1.13, N = 60). The increase in N,N-dimethylglycine was significantly correlated with oxytocin-induced clinical changes, assessed as changes in quantifiable characteristics of autistic facial expression, including both of improvements between baseline and 2 weeks (PFDR = 0.006, r = − 0.485, N = 43) and deteriorations between 2 and 4 weeks (PFDR = 0.032, r = 0.415, N = 37). Limitations The metabolites changes caused by oxytocin administration were quantified using peripheral blood and therefore may not directly reflect central nervous system changes. Conclusion Our findings demonstrate an association of N,N-dimethylglycine upregulation with the time-course change in the efficacy of oxytocin on autistic social deficits. Furthermore, the current findings support the involvement of the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor and neural plasticity to the time-course change in oxytocin’s efficacy. Trial registration: A multi-center, parallel-group, placebo-controlled, double-blind, confirmatory trial of intranasal oxytocin in participants with autism spectrum disorders (the date registered: 30 October 2014; UMIN Clinical Trials Registry: https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000017703) (UMIN000015264).
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasuhiko Kato
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashiku, Hamamatsu City, 431-3192, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Kuwabara
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashiku, Hamamatsu City, 431-3192, Japan
| | - Takashi Okada
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Toshio Munesue
- Research Center for Child Mental Development, Kanazawa University, 13-1 Takara-machi, Kanazawa, 920-8640, Japan
| | - Seico Benner
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashiku, Hamamatsu City, 431-3192, Japan
| | - Miho Kuroda
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Masaki Kojima
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Walid Yassin
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yosuke Eriguchi
- Department of Child Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Yosuke Kameno
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashiku, Hamamatsu City, 431-3192, Japan
| | - Chihiro Murayama
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashiku, Hamamatsu City, 431-3192, Japan
| | - Tomoko Nishimura
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka/Kanazawa/Hamamatsu/Chiba/Fukui, Japan
| | - Kenji Tsuchiya
- United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka/Kanazawa/Hamamatsu/Chiba/Fukui, Japan
| | - Kiyoto Kasai
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan
| | - Norio Ozaki
- Department of Psychiatry, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, 466-8550, Japan
| | - Hirotaka Kosaka
- Department of Neuropsychiatry, Faculty of Medical Sciences, University of Fukui, Eiheiji, Fukui, 910-1193, Japan
| | - Hidenori Yamasue
- Department of Psychiatry, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, 1-20-1 Handayama, Higashiku, Hamamatsu City, 431-3192, Japan. .,United Graduate School of Child Development, Osaka University, Kanazawa University, Hamamatsu University School of Medicine, Chiba University and University of Fukui, Osaka/Kanazawa/Hamamatsu/Chiba/Fukui, Japan.
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16
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Pei JC, Luo DZ, Gau SS, Chang CY, Lai WS. Directly and Indirectly Targeting the Glycine Modulatory Site to Modulate NMDA Receptor Function to Address Unmet Medical Needs of Patients With Schizophrenia. Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:742058. [PMID: 34658976 PMCID: PMC8517243 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.742058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe mental illness that affects ~1% of the world's population. It is clinically characterized by positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms. Currently available antipsychotic medications are relatively ineffective in improving negative and cognitive deficits, which are related to a patient's functional outcomes and quality of life. Negative symptoms and cognitive deficits are unmet by the antipsychotic medications developed to date. In recent decades, compelling animal and clinical studies have supported the NMDA receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction hypothesis of schizophrenia and have suggested some promising therapeutic agents. Notably, several NMDAR-enhancing agents, especially those that function through the glycine modulatory site (GMS) of NMDAR, cause significant reduction in psychotic and cognitive symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Given that the NMDAR-mediated signaling pathway has been implicated in cognitive/social functions and that GMS is a potential therapeutic target for enhancing the activation of NMDARs, there is great interest in investigating the effects of direct and indirect GMS modulators and their therapeutic potential. In this review, we focus on describing preclinical and clinical studies of direct and indirect GMS modulators in the treatment of schizophrenia, including glycine, D-cycloserine, D-serine, glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) inhibitors, and D-amino acid oxidase (DAO or DAAO) inhibitors. We highlight some of the most promising recently developed pharmacological compounds designed to either directly or indirectly target GMS and thus augment NMDAR function to treat the cognitive and negative symptoms of schizophrenia. Overall, the current findings suggest that indirectly targeting of GMS appears to be more beneficial and leads to less adverse effects than direct targeting of GMS to modulate NMDAR functions. Indirect GMS modulators, especially GlyT1 inhibitors and DAO inhibitors, open new avenues for the treatment of unmet medical needs for patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Chun Pei
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Da-Zhong Luo
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Shiang-Shin Gau
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Chia-Yuan Chang
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Sung Lai
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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17
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Chang CH, Lin CH, Liu CY, Chen SJ, Lane HY. Efficacy and cognitive effect of sarcosine (N-methylglycine) in patients with schizophrenia: A systematic review and meta-analysis of double-blind randomised controlled trials. J Psychopharmacol 2020; 34:495-505. [PMID: 32122256 DOI: 10.1177/0269881120908016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sarcosine (N-methylglycine), a type 1 glycine transporter inhibitor (GlyT1), has shown therapeutic potential for treating schizophrenia; however, studies have reported conflicting results. This meta-analysis aimed to explore the efficacy and cognitive effect of sarcosine for schizophrenia. METHODS In this study, PubMed, Cochrane Systematic Reviews, and Cochrane Collaboration Central Register of Controlled Clinical Trials were searched electronically for double-blinded randomised controlled trials that used sarcosine for treating schizophrenia. We used the published trials up to November 2019 to investigate the efficacy of sarcosine in schizophrenia. We pooled studies by using a random-effect model for comparing sarcosine treatment effects. Patients who were diagnosed with schizophrenia according to the criteria of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fourth Edition were recruited. Clinical improvement and cognitive function scores between baseline and after sarcosine use were compared using the standardised mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The heterogeneity of the included trials was evaluated through visual inspection of funnel plots and through the I2 statistic. RESULTS We identified seven trials with 326 participants with schizophrenia meeting the inclusion criteria. All these studies evaluated the overall clinical symptoms, and four of them evaluated overall cognitive functions. Sarcosine use achieved more significant effects than the use of its comparators in relieving overall clinical symptoms (SMD = 0.51, CI = 0.26-0.76, p < 0.01). Moreover, studies with the low Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale range of 70-79 showed significant effect size (ES)s of 0.67 (95% CI: 0.03-1.31, p = 0.04). In addition, trials enrolling patients with stable clinical symptoms had significant ESs: 0.53 (95% CI: 0.21-0.85, p < 0.01). Add-on sarcosine combined with first- and second-generation antipsychotics, except clozapine, had a positive effect. For overall cognitive functions, sarcosine showed a positive but insignificant effect compared with its comparators (SMD = 0.27, CI = -0.06 to 0.60, p = 0.10). The effects were correlated with increased female proportions and decreased illness duration, albeit nonsignificantly. CONCLUSIONS The meta-analysis suggests that sarcosine may be associated with treatment effect on overall clinical symptoms in patients with schizophrenia but not cognitive functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chun-Hung Chang
- Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung.,Department of Psychiatry & Brain Disease Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung.,An Nan Hospital, China Medical University, Tainan
| | - Chieh-Hsin Lin
- Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung.,Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung
| | - Chieh-Yu Liu
- Department of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology, Biostatistical Consulting Lab, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei
| | - Shaw-Ji Chen
- Department of Psychiatry, Mackay Memorial Hospital Taitung Branch, Taitung.,Department of Medicine, Mackay Medical College, New Taipei
| | - Hsien-Yuan Lane
- Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung.,Department of Psychiatry & Brain Disease Research Center, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung.,Graduate Institute of Biomedical Sciences, China Medical University, Taichung.,Department of Psychology, College of Medical and Health Sciences, Asia University, Taichung
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18
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Synthesis, Structural and Biological Studies of Organotin(IV) Complexes with N-(Dithiocarboxy) Sarcosine. ARABIAN JOURNAL FOR SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s13369-020-04496-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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19
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Jankowska A, Satała G, Partyka A, Wesołowska A, Bojarski AJ, Pawłowski M, Chłoń-Rzepa G. Discovery and Development of Non-Dopaminergic Agents for the Treatment of Schizophrenia: Overview of the Preclinical and Early Clinical Studies. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:4885-4913. [PMID: 31291870 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190710172002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2019] [Revised: 06/11/2019] [Accepted: 06/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a chronic psychiatric disorder that affects about 1 in 100 people around the world and results in persistent emotional and cognitive impairments. Untreated schizophrenia leads to deterioration in quality of life and premature death. Although the clinical efficacy of dopamine D2 receptor antagonists against positive symptoms of schizophrenia supports the dopamine hypothesis of the disease, the resistance of negative and cognitive symptoms to these drugs implicates other systems in its pathophysiology. Many studies suggest that abnormalities in glutamate homeostasis may contribute to all three groups of schizophrenia symptoms. Scientific considerations also include disorders of gamma-aminobutyric acid-ergic and serotonergic neurotransmissions as well as the role of the immune system. The purpose of this review is to update the most recent reports on the discovery and development of non-dopaminergic agents that may reduce positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia, and may be alternative to currently used antipsychotics. This review collects the chemical structures of representative compounds targeting metabotropic glutamate receptor, gamma-aminobutyric acid type A receptor, alpha 7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, glycine transporter type 1 and glycogen synthase kinase 3 as well as results of in vitro and in vivo studies indicating their efficacy in schizophrenia. Results of clinical trials assessing the safety and efficacy of the tested compounds have also been presented. Finally, attention has been paid to multifunctional ligands with serotonin receptor affinity or phosphodiesterase inhibitory activity as novel strategies in the search for dedicated medicines for patients with schizophrenia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Jankowska
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 9 Medyczna Street, 30-688 Krakow, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Satała
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
| | - Anna Partyka
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 9 Medyczna Street, 30-688 Krakow, Poland
| | - Anna Wesołowska
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 9 Medyczna Street, 30-688 Krakow, Poland
| | - Andrzej J Bojarski
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 12 Smetna Street, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
| | - Maciej Pawłowski
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 9 Medyczna Street, 30-688 Krakow, Poland
| | - Grażyna Chłoń-Rzepa
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 9 Medyczna Street, 30-688 Krakow, Poland
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20
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Firth J, Teasdale SB, Allott K, Siskind D, Marx W, Cotter J, Veronese N, Schuch F, Smith L, Solmi M, Carvalho AF, Vancampfort D, Berk M, Stubbs B, Sarris J. The efficacy and safety of nutrient supplements in the treatment of mental disorders: a meta-review of meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. World Psychiatry 2019; 18:308-324. [PMID: 31496103 PMCID: PMC6732706 DOI: 10.1002/wps.20672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of nutrition in mental health is becoming increasingly acknowledged. Along with dietary intake, nutrition can also be obtained from "nutrient supplements", such as polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids and pre/probiotic supplements. Recently, a large number of meta-analyses have emerged examining nutrient supplements in the treatment of mental disorders. To produce a meta-review of this top-tier evidence, we identified, synthesized and appraised all meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) reporting on the efficacy and safety of nutrient supplements in common and severe mental disorders. Our systematic search identified 33 meta-analyses of placebo-controlled RCTs, with primary analyses including outcome data from 10,951 individuals. The strongest evidence was found for PUFAs (particularly as eicosapentaenoic acid) as an adjunctive treatment for depression. More nascent evidence suggested that PUFAs may also be beneficial for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, whereas there was no evidence for schizophrenia. Folate-based supplements were widely researched as adjunctive treatments for depression and schizophrenia, with positive effects from RCTs of high-dose methylfolate in major depressive disorder. There was emergent evidence for N-acetylcysteine as a useful adjunctive treatment in mood disorders and schizophrenia. All nutrient supplements had good safety profiles, with no evidence of serious adverse effects or contraindications with psychiatric medications. In conclusion, clinicians should be informed of the nutrient supplements with established efficacy for certain conditions (such as eicosapentaenoic acid in depression), but also made aware of those currently lacking evidentiary support. Future research should aim to determine which individuals may benefit most from evidence-based supplements, to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Firth
- NICM Health Research InstituteWestern Sydney UniversityWestmeadAustralia,Division of Psychology and Mental Health, Faculty of Biology, Medicine and HealthUniversity of ManchesterManchesterUK,Centre for Youth Mental HealthUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
| | - Scott B. Teasdale
- School of Psychiatry, Faculty of MedicineUniversity of New South WalesSydneyAustralia,Keeping the Body in Mind ProgramSouth Eastern Sydney Local Health DistrictSydneyAustralia
| | - Kelly Allott
- Centre for Youth Mental HealthUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia,Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental HealthParkvilleAustralia
| | - Dan Siskind
- Metro South Addiction and Mental Health ServiceBrisbaneAustralia,School of MedicineUniversity of QueenslandBrisbaneAustralia
| | - Wolfgang Marx
- IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of MedicineDeakin University, Barwon HealthAustralia
| | | | - Nicola Veronese
- Neuroscience InstituteNational Research CouncilPaduaItaly,Research Hospital, National Institute of GastroenterologyIRCCS De Bellis, Castellana GrotteBariItaly
| | - Felipe Schuch
- Department of Sports Methods and TechniquesFederal University of Santa MariaSanta MariaBrazil
| | - Lee Smith
- Cambridge Centre for Sport and Exercise SciencesAnglia Ruskin UniversityCambridgeUK
| | - Marco Solmi
- Department of NeurosciencesUniversity of PaduaPaduaItaly,Padua Neuroscience CenterUniversity of PaduaPaduaItaly
| | - André F. Carvalho
- Centre for Addiction and Mental HealthTorontoONCanada,Department of PsychiatryUniversity of TorontoTorontoONCanada
| | - Davy Vancampfort
- KU Leuven Department of Rehabilitation SciencesLeuvenBelgium,University Psychiatric Centre KU LeuvenKortenbergBelgium
| | - Michael Berk
- Orygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental HealthParkvilleAustralia,IMPACT Strategic Research Centre, School of MedicineDeakin University, Barwon HealthAustralia
| | - Brendon Stubbs
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation TrustLondonUK,Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and NeuroscienceKing's College LondonLondonUK
| | - Jerome Sarris
- NICM Health Research InstituteWestern Sydney UniversityWestmeadAustralia,Professional Unit, The Melbourne Clinic, Department of PsychiatryUniversity of MelbourneMelbourneAustralia
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21
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Pei JC, Hung WL, Lin BX, Shih MH, Lu LY, Luo DZ, Tai HC, Studer V, Min MY, Lai WS. Therapeutic potential and underlying mechanism of sarcosine (N-methylglycine) in N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor hypofunction models of schizophrenia. J Psychopharmacol 2019; 33:1288-1302. [PMID: 31294644 DOI: 10.1177/0269881119856558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Compelling animal and clinical studies support the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) hypofunction hypothesis of schizophrenia and suggest promising pharmacological agents to ameliorate negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia, including sarcosine, a glycine transporter-1 inhibitor. AIMS AND METHODS It is imperative to evaluate the therapeutic potential of sarcosine in animal models, which provide indispensable tools for testing drug effects in detail and elucidating the underlying mechanisms. In this study, a series of seven experiments was conducted to investigate the effect of sarcosine in ameliorating behavioral deficits and the underlying mechanism in pharmacological (i.e., MK-801-induced) and genetic (i.e., serine racemase-null mutant (SR-/-) mice) NMDAR hypofunction models. RESULTS In Experiment 1, the acute administration of 500/1000 mg/kg sarcosine (i.p.) had no adverse effects on motor function and serum biochemical responses. In Experiments 2-4, sarcosine significantly alleviated MK-801-induced (0.2 mg/kg) brain abnormalities and behavioral deficits in MK-801-induced and SR-/- mouse models. In Experiment 5, the injection of sarcosine enhanced CSF levels of glycine and serine in rat brain. In Experiments 6-7, we show for the first time that sarcosine facilitated NMDAR-mediated hippocampal field excitatory postsynaptic potentials and influenced the movement of surface NMDARs at extrasynaptic sites. CONCLUSIONS Sarcosine effectively regulated the surface trafficking of NMDARs, NMDAR-evoked electrophysiological activity, brain glycine levels and MK-801-induced abnormalities in the brain, which contributed to the amelioration of behavioral deficits in mouse models of NMDAR hypofunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ju-Chun Pei
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Li Hung
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Bei-Xuan Lin
- Institute of Zoology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Min-Han Shih
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Liang-Yin Lu
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Da-Zhong Luo
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hwan-Ching Tai
- Department of Chemistry, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Vincent Studer
- Interdisciplinary Institute for Neuroscience, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.,French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS), Bordeaux, France
| | - Ming-Yuan Min
- Institute of Zoology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Sung Lai
- Department of Psychology, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Graduate Institute of Brain and Mind Sciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan.,Neurobiology and Cognitive Science Center, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
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22
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The glycine site of NMDA receptors: A target for cognitive enhancement in psychiatric disorders. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 92:387-404. [PMID: 30738126 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2018] [Revised: 01/29/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Cognitive dysfunction is a principal determinant of functional impairment in major depressive disorder (MDD) and often persists during periods of euthymia. Abnormalities in the glutamate system, particularly in N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) activity, have been shown to contribute to both mood and cognitive symptoms in MDD. The current narrative review aims to evaluate the potential pro-cognitive effects of targeting the glycine site of NMDARs in the treatment of psychiatric disorders, with a special focus on how these results may apply to MDD. Literature databases were searched from inception to May 2018 for relevant pre-clinical and clinical studies evaluating antidepressant and pro-cognitive effects of NMDAR glycine site modulators in both MDD and non-MDD samples. Six glycine site modulators with pro-cognitive and antidepressant properties were identified: d-serine (co-agonist), d-cycloserine (partial agonist), d-alanine (co-agonist), glycine (agonist), sarcosine (co-agonist) and rapastinel (partial agonist). Preclinical animal studies demonstrated improved neuroplasticity and pro-cognitive effects with these agents. Numerous proof-of-concept clinical trials demonstrated pro-cognitive and antidepressant effects trans-diagnostically (e.g., in healthy participants, MDD, schizophrenia, anxiety disorders, major neurocognitive disorders). The generalizability of these clinical studies was limited by the small sample sizes and the paucity of studies directly evaluating cognitive effects in MDD samples, as most clinical trials were in non-MDD samples. Taken together, preliminary results suggest that the glycine site of NMDARs is a promising target to ameliorate symptoms of depression and cognitive dysfunction. Additional rigorously designed clinical studies are required to determine the cognitive effects of these agents in MDD.
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23
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Fabrication of an amperometric sarcosine biosensor based on sarcosine oxidase/chitosan/CuNPs/c-MWCNT/Au electrode for detection of prostate cancer. Enzyme Microb Technol 2018; 113:44-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.enzmictec.2018.02.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2017] [Revised: 02/26/2018] [Accepted: 02/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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24
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Smirnov VI, Badelin VG. Influence of N -methyl substitution in the glycine molecule on its enthalpic dissolution characteristics in mixed aqueous-amide solvents at T = 298.15 K. J Mol Liq 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2018.01.124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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25
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Wei IH, Chen KT, Tsai MH, Wu CH, Lane HY, Huang CC. Acute Amino Acid d-Serine Administration, Similar to Ketamine, Produces Antidepressant-like Effects through Identical Mechanisms. JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL AND FOOD CHEMISTRY 2017; 65:10792-10803. [PMID: 29161812 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jafc.7b04217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/22/2023]
Abstract
d-Serine is an amino acid and can work as an agonist at the glycine sites of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). Interestingly, both types of glutamatergic modulators, NMDAR enhancers and blockers, can improve depression through common targets, namely alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionaic acid receptors (AMPARs) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). To elucidate the cellular signaling pathway underlying this counterintuitive observation, we activated NMDARs in rats by using d-serine. Saline, ketamine (NMDAR antagonist), and desipramine (tricyclic antidepressant) were used as controls. The antidepressant-like effects of all agents were evaluated using the forced swim test. The activation of the AMPAR-mTOR signaling pathway, release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and alteration of AMPAR and NMDAR trafficking in the hippocampus of rats were examined. A single high dose of d-serine exerted an antidepressant-like effect that was mediated by rapid AMPAR-induced mTOR signaling pathway and increased BDNF proteins, identical to that of ketamine. Furthermore, in addition to the increased protein kinase A phosphorylation of the AMPAR subunit GluR1 (an indicator of AMPAR insertion in neurons), treatment with individual optimal doses of d-serine and ketamine also increased adaptin β2-NMDAR association (an indicator of the intracellular endocytic machinery and subsequent internalization of NMDARs). Desipramine did not influence these processes. Our study is the first to demonstrate an association between d-serine and ketamine; following adaptative regulation of AMPAR and NMDAR may lead to common changes of them. These findings provide novel targets for safer antidepressant agents with mechanisms similar to those of ketamine.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Ching-Hsiang Wu
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University , 110 Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Hsien-Yuan Lane
- Brain Disease Research Center & Department of Psychiatry, China Medical University Hospital , 404 Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chia Huang
- Brain Disease Research Center & Department of Psychiatry, China Medical University Hospital , 404 Taichung, Taiwan
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26
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Park DI, Dournes C, Sillaber I, Ising M, Asara JM, Webhofer C, Filiou MD, Müller MB, Turck CW. Delineation of molecular pathway activities of the chronic antidepressant treatment response suggests important roles for glutamatergic and ubiquitin-proteasome systems. Transl Psychiatry 2017; 7:e1078. [PMID: 28375208 PMCID: PMC5416684 DOI: 10.1038/tp.2017.39] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2016] [Revised: 12/28/2016] [Accepted: 01/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to identify molecular pathways related to antidepressant response. We administered paroxetine to the DBA/2J mice for 28 days. Following the treatment, the mice were grouped into responders or non-responders depending on the time they spent immobile in the forced swim test. Hippocampal metabolomics and proteomics analyses revealed that chronic paroxetine treatment affects glutamate-related metabolite and protein levels differentially in the two groups. We found significant differences in the expression of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor and neuronal nitric oxide synthase proteins between the two groups, without any significant alterations in the respective transcript levels. In addition, we found that chronic paroxetine treatment altered the levels of proteins associated with the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). The soluble guanylate cyclase-β1, proteasome subunit α type-2 and ubiquitination levels were also affected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from antidepressant responder and non-responder patients suffering from major depressive disorder. We submit that the glutamatergic system and UPS have a crucial role in the antidepressant treatment response in both mice and humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- D I Park
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - C Dournes
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | | | - M Ising
- Department of Clinical Research, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - J M Asara
- Division of Signal Transduction, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - C Webhofer
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - M D Filiou
- Department of Stress Neurobiology and Neurogenetics, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany
| | - M B Müller
- Division of Experimental Psychiatry, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, Mainz, Germany,Division of Experimental Psychiatry, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, 55128 Mainz, Germany or , Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany. E-mail: or
| | - C W Turck
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Munich, Germany,Division of Experimental Psychiatry, Focus Program Translational Neuroscience, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Johannes Gutenberg University Medical Center, 55128 Mainz, Germany or , Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Kraepelinstrasse 2-10, 80804 Munich, Germany. E-mail: or
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27
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Lee MY, Lin YR, Tu YS, Tseng YJ, Chan MH, Chen HH. Effects of sarcosine and N, N-dimethylglycine on NMDA receptor-mediated excitatory field potentials. J Biomed Sci 2017; 24:18. [PMID: 28245819 PMCID: PMC5331637 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-016-0314-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/25/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Sarcosine, a glycine transporter type 1 inhibitor and an N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor co-agonist at the glycine binding site, potentiates NMDA receptor function. Structurally similar to sarcosine, N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG) is also N-methyl glycine-derivative amino acid and commonly used as a dietary supplement. The present study compared the effects of sarcosine and DMG on NMDA receptor-mediated excitatory field potentials (EFPs) in mouse medial prefrontal cortex brain slices using a multi-electrode array system. Results Glycine, sarcosine and DMG alone did not alter the NMDA receptor-mediated EFPs, but in combination with glutamate, glycine and its N-methyl derivatives significantly increased the frequency and amplitude of EFPs. The enhancing effects of glycine analogs in combination with glutamate on EFPs were remarkably reduced by the glycine binding site antagonist 7-chlorokynurenate (7-CK). However, DMG, but not sarcosine, reduced the frequency and amplitude of EFPs elicited by co-application of glutamate plus glycine. D-cycloserine, a partial agonist at the glycine binding site on NMDA receptors, affected EFPs in a similar manner to DMG. Furthermore, DMG, but not sarcosine, reduced the frequencies and amplitudes of EFPs elicited by glutamate plus D-serine, another endogenous ligand for glycine binding site. Conclusions These findings suggest that sarcosine acts as a full agonist, yet DMG is a partial agonist at glycine binding site of NMDA receptors. The molecular docking analysis indicated that the interactions of glycine, sarcosine, and DMG to NMDA receptors are highly similar, supporting that the glycine binding site of NMDA receptors is a critical target site for sarcosine and DMG. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12929-016-0314-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Yi Lee
- Master/PhD Program in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tzu Chi University, 701, Section 3, Chung-Yang Road, Hualien, 97004, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Ruu Lin
- Master/PhD Program in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tzu Chi University, 701, Section 3, Chung-Yang Road, Hualien, 97004, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Shu Tu
- Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Yufeng Jane Tseng
- Institute of Biomedical Electronics and Bioinformatics, National Taiwan University, 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 10617, Taiwan.,Department of Computer Science and Information Engineering, National Taiwan University, 1, Sec. 4, Roosevelt Rd., Taipei, 10617, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Huan Chan
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Chengchi University, 64, Sec. 2, ZhiNan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei City, 11605, Taiwan. .,Research Center for Mind, Brain, and Learning, National Chengchi University, 64, Sec. 2, ZhiNan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei City, 11605, Taiwan.
| | - Hwei-Hsien Chen
- Master/PhD Program in Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tzu Chi University, 701, Section 3, Chung-Yang Road, Hualien, 97004, Taiwan. .,Institute of Neuroscience, National Chengchi University, 64, Sec. 2, ZhiNan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei City, 11605, Taiwan. .,Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan, Miaoli County, 35053, Taiwan.
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28
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Chan SY, Matthews E, Burnet PWJ. ON or OFF?: Modulating the N-Methyl-D-Aspartate Receptor in Major Depression. Front Mol Neurosci 2017; 9:169. [PMID: 28133445 PMCID: PMC5233677 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2016.00169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2016] [Accepted: 12/27/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Since the discovery that a single dose of ketamine, an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, had rapid and long-lasting antidepressant effects, there has been increased interest in using NMDAR modulators in the pharmacotherapy of depression. Ketamine's efficacy seems to imply that depression is a disorder of NMDAR hyperfunctionality. However, studies showing that not all NMDAR antagonists are able to act as antidepressants challenge this notion. Furthermore, NMDAR co-agonists have also been gaining attention as possible treatments. Co-agonists such as D-serine and sarcosine have shown efficacy in both pre-clinical models and human trials. This raises the question of how both NMDAR antagonists and agonists are able to have converging behavioral effects. Here we critically review the evidence and proposed therapeutic mechanisms for both NMDAR antagonists and agonists, and collate several theories on how both activation and inhibition of NMDARs appear to have antidepressant effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi Yu Chan
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford Oxford, UK
| | | | - Philip W J Burnet
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford Oxford, UK
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29
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Lin JC, Chan MH, Lee MY, Chen YC, Chen HH. N,N-dimethylglycine differentially modulates psychotomimetic and antidepressant-like effects of ketamine in mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2016; 71:7-13. [PMID: 27296677 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2016.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2016] [Revised: 06/04/2016] [Accepted: 06/09/2016] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Ketamine, a dissociative anesthetic, produces rapid and sustained antidepressant effects at subanesthtic doses. However, it still inevitably induces psychotomimetic side effects. N,N-dimethylglycine (DMG) is a derivative of the amino acid glycine and is used as a dietary supplement. Recently, DMG has been found acting at glycine binding site of the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR). As blockade of NMDARs is one of the main mechanisms responsible for the action of ketamine on central nervous system, DMG might modulate the behavioral responses to ketamine. The present study determined the effects of DMG on the ketamine-induced psychotomimetic, anesthetic and antidepressant-like effects in mice. DMG pretreatment reversed the ketamine-induced locomotor hyperactivity and impairment in the rotarod performance, novel location and novel object recognition tests, and prepulse inhibition. In addition, DMG alone exhibited antidepressant-like effects in the forced swim test and produced additive effects when combined with ketamine. However, DMG did not affect ketamine-induced anesthesia. These results reveal that DMG could antagonize ketamine's psychotomimetic effects, yet produce additive antidepressant-like effects with ketamine, suggesting that DMG might have antipsychotic potential and be suitable as an add-on therapy to ketamine for patients with treatment-resistant depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jen-Cheng Lin
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Huan Chan
- Institute of Neuroscience, National Chengchi University, 64, Sec. 2, Zhinan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei 11605, Taiwan; Research Center for Mind, Brain, and Learning, National Chengchi University, 64, Sec. 2, Zhinan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei 11605, Taiwan
| | - Mei-Yi Lee
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tzu Chi University, 701, Section 3, Chung-Yang Road, Hualien 97004, Taiwan
| | - Yi-Chyan Chen
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; School of Medicine, Tzu Chi University, 701, Section 3, Chung-Yang Road, Hualien 97004, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, Taipei Tzu Chi Hospital, Buddhist Tzu Chi Medical Foundation, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
| | - Hwei-Hsien Chen
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Institute of Neuroscience, National Chengchi University, 64, Sec. 2, Zhinan Road, Wenshan District, Taipei 11605, Taiwan; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tzu Chi University, 701, Section 3, Chung-Yang Road, Hualien 97004, Taiwan; Center for Neuropsychiatric Research, National Health Research Institutes, 35 Keyan Road, Zhunan, Miaoli County 35053, Taiwan.
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30
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Chen KT, Wu CH, Tsai MH, Wu YC, Jou MJ, Huang CC, Wei IH. Antidepressant-like effects of long-term sarcosine treatment in rats with or without chronic unpredictable stress. Behav Brain Res 2016; 316:1-10. [PMID: 27555541 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2016.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2016] [Revised: 05/31/2016] [Accepted: 06/02/2016] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Sarcosine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor enhancer, can improve depression-like behavior in rodent models and depression in humans. We found that a single dose of sarcosine exerted antidepressant-like effects with rapid concomitant increases in the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling pathway activation and enhancement of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate receptor (AMPAR) membrane insertion. Sarcosine may play a crucial role in developing novel therapy for depression. For a detailed understanding of sarcosine, this study examined the effects of long-term sarcosine treatment on the forced swim test (FST), mTOR signaling, and AMPAR membrane insertion in rats. The effects of long-term sarcosine treatment were examined in naive rats and rats exposed to chronic unpredictable stress (CUS). Long-term sarcosine treatment (560mg/kg/d for 21 d) significantly ameliorated the increased immobility induced by CUS in the FST, reaffirming the potential role of sarcosine as an antidepressant for depressed patients. The same long-term treatment exhibited no such effect in naive rats despite increased mTOR activation and AMPAR membrane insertion in both groups. Our findings clearly show CUS-exposed rats are sensitive to long-term sarcosine treatment in FST and the response at the same dose is absent in naïve rats. Nevertheless, the distinct sensitivity to long-term sarcosine treatment in rats with or without CUS is not associated with the activated mTOR signaling pathway or increased AMPAR membrane insertion. Additionally, understanding the behavioral and molecular basis of distinct responses is vital important for developing personalized treatment programs to increase the probability of success when treating depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuang-Ti Chen
- Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ching-Hsiang Wu
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Mang-Hung Tsai
- Department of Anatomy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan
| | - Ya-Chieh Wu
- Department of Nursing, Ching-Kuo Institute of Management and Health, Keelung, Taiwan
| | - Ming-Jia Jou
- School of Chinese medicine for post baccalaureate, I Shou University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chia Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan; Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan; Department of Psychiatry, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
| | - I-Hua Wei
- Department of Anatomy, China Medical University, Taichung, Taiwan.
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31
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de Andrade RB, Gemelli T, Rojas DB, Kim TDH, Zanatta Â, Schmitz F, Rodrigues AF, Wyse ATS, Wajner M, Dutra-Filho CS, Wannmacher CMD. Evaluation of Oxidative Stress Parameters and Energy Metabolism in Cerebral Cortex of Rats Subjected to Sarcosine Administration. Mol Neurobiol 2016; 54:4496-4506. [PMID: 27356917 DOI: 10.1007/s12035-016-9984-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 06/14/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Sarcosine is an N-methyl derivative of the amino acid glycine, and its elevation in tissues and physiological fluids of patients with sarcosinemia could reflect a deficient pool size of activated 1-carbon units. Sarcosinemia is a rare inherited metabolic condition associated with mental retardation. In the present study, we investigated the acute effect of sarcosine and/or creatine plus pyruvate on some parameters of oxidative stress and energy metabolism in cerebral cortex homogenates of 21-day-old Wistar rats. Acute administration of sarcosine induced oxidative stress and diminished the activities of adenylate kinase, GAPDH, complex IV, and mitochondrial and cytosolic creatine kinase. On the other hand, succinate dehydrogenase activity was enhanced in cerebral cortex of rats. Moreover, total sulfhydryl content was significantly diminished, while DCFH oxidation, TBARS content, and activities of SOD and GPx were significantly enhanced by acute administration of sarcosine. Co-administration of creatine plus pyruvate was effective in the prevention of alterations provoked by sarcosine administration on the oxidative stress and the enzymes of phosphoryltransfer network. These results indicate that acute administration of sarcosine may stimulate oxidative stress and alter the energy metabolism in cerebral cortex of rats. In case these effects also occur in humans, they may contribute, along with other mechanisms, to the neurological dysfunction of sarcosinemia, and creatine and pyruvate supplementation could be beneficial to the patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Binkowski de Andrade
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. .,Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600-Anexo, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. .,Faculdade da Serra Gaúcha, FSG, Rua Rua Os Dezoito do Forte, 2366, CEP 95.020-472, Caxias do Sul, RS, Brazil.
| | - Tanise Gemelli
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Denise Bertin Rojas
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tomas Duk Hwa Kim
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600-Anexo, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ângela Zanatta
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Felipe Schmitz
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - André Felipe Rodrigues
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Angela T S Wyse
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600-Anexo, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Moacir Wajner
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600-Anexo, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Carlos Severo Dutra-Filho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600-Anexo, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Clovis Milton Duval Wannmacher
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600-Anexo, CEP 90.035-003, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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Ultimate Translation: Developing Therapeutics Targeting on N-Methyl-d-Aspartate Receptor. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2016; 76:257-309. [PMID: 27288080 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2016.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
N-Methyl-d-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) are broadly distributed in the central nervous system (CNS), where they mediate excitatory signaling. NMDAR-mediated neurotransmission (NMDARMN) is the molecular engine of learning, memory and cognition, which are the basis for high cortical function. NMDARMN is also critically involved in the development and plasticity of CNS. Due to its essential and critical role, either over- or under-activation of NMDARMN can contribute substantially to the development of CNS disorders. The involvement of NMDARMN has been demonstrated in a variety of CNS disorders, including schizophrenia, depression, posttraumatic stress disorder, aging, mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's dementia, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and anti-NMDAR encephalitis. Several targets to "correct" or "reset" the NMDARMN in these CNS disorders have been identified and confirmed. With analogy to aminergic treatments, these targets include the glycine/d-serine co-agonist site, channel ionophore, glycine transporter-1, and d-amino acid oxidase. It is still early days in terms of developing novel therapeutics targeting the NMDAR. However, agents modulating NMDARMN hold promise as the next generation of CNS therapeutics.
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The lidocaine metabolite N-ethylglycine has antinociceptive effects in experimental inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Pain 2016; 156:1647-1659. [PMID: 25932687 PMCID: PMC4617288 DOI: 10.1097/j.pain.0000000000000206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Supplemental Digital Content is Available in the Text. The lidocaine metabolite N-ethylglycine specifically reduces GlyT1-dependent glycine uptake and has antinociceptive effects in experimental inflammatory and neuropathic pain, while no adverse effects are observed. Glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) plays a crucial role in regulating extracellular glycine concentrations and might thereby constitute a new drug target for the modulation of glycinergic inhibition in pain signaling. Consistent with this view, inhibition of GlyT1 has been found to induce antinociceptive effects in various animal pain models. We have shown previously that the lidocaine metabolite N-ethylglycine (EG) reduces GlyT1-dependent glycine uptake by functioning as an artificial substrate for this transporter. Here, we show that EG is specific for GlyT1 and that in rodent models of inflammatory and neuropathic pain, systemic treatment with EG results in an efficient amelioration of hyperalgesia and allodynia without affecting acute pain. There was no effect on motor coordination or the development of inflammatory edema. No adverse neurological effects were observed after repeated high-dose application of EG. EG concentrations both in blood and spinal fluid correlated with an increase of glycine concentration in spinal fluid. The time courses of the EG and glycine concentrations corresponded well with the antinociceptive effect. Additionally, we found that EG reduced the increase in neuronal firing of wide-dynamic-range neurons caused by inflammatory pain induction. These findings suggest that systemically applied lidocaine exerts antihyperalgesic effects through its metabolite EG in vivo, by enhancing spinal inhibition of pain processing through GlyT1 modulation and subsequent increase of glycine concentrations at glycinergic inhibitory synapses. EG and other substrates of GlyT1, therefore, may be a useful therapeutic agent in chronic pain states involving spinal disinhibition.
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de Andrade RB, Gemelli T, Rojas DB, Dutra-Filho CS, Wannmacher CMD. Chemically induced acute model of sarcosinemia in wistar rats. Metab Brain Dis 2016; 31:363-8. [PMID: 26563127 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-015-9759-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2015] [Accepted: 11/06/2015] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
In the present study, we developed an acute chemically induced model of sarcosinemia in Wistar rats. Wistar rats of 7, 14 and 21 postpartum days received sarcosine intraperitoneally in doses of 0.5 mmol/Kg of body weight three time a day at intervals of 3 h. Control animals received saline solution (NaCl 0.85 g%) in the same volume (10 mL/Kg of body weight). The animals were killed after 30 min, 1, 2, 3 or 6 h after the last injection and the brain and the blood were collected for sarcosine measurement. The results showed that plasma and brain sarcosine concentrations achieved levels three to four times higher than the normal levels and decreased in a time-dependent way, achieving normal levels after 6 hours. Considering that experimental animal models are useful to investigate the pathophysiology of human disorders, our model of sarcosinemia may be useful for the research of the mechanisms of neurological dysfunction caused by high tissue sarcosine levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Binkowski de Andrade
- PPG Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90.035-003, Brazil
| | - Tanise Gemelli
- PPG Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90.035-003, Brazil
| | - Denise Bertin Rojas
- PPG Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90.035-003, Brazil
| | - Carlos Severo Dutra-Filho
- PPG Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90.035-003, Brazil
| | - Clovis Milton Duval Wannmacher
- PPG Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, UFRGS, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600, Porto Alegre, RS, CEP 90.035-003, Brazil.
- Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Departamento de Bioquímica, Rua Ramiro Barcelos 2600-Anexo, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil.
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Zhao J, Tao H, Xian W, Cai Y, Cheng W, Yin M, Liang G, Li K, Cui L, Zhao B. A Highly Selective Inhibitor of Glycine Transporter-1 Elevates the Threshold for Maximal Electroshock-Induced Tonic Seizure in Mice. Biol Pharm Bull 2016; 39:174-80. [DOI: 10.1248/bpb.b15-00501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jianghao Zhao
- Institute of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
| | - Hua Tao
- Institute of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
| | - Wenchuan Xian
- Institute of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
| | - Yujie Cai
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
| | - Wanwen Cheng
- Institute of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
| | - Mingkang Yin
- Institute of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
| | - Guocong Liang
- Institute of Neurology, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
| | - Keshen Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
| | - Lili Cui
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
| | - Bin Zhao
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Age-Related Cardiac and Cerebral Diseases, Affiliated Hospital of Guangdong Medical University
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Chen KT, Tsai MH, Wu CH, Jou MJ, Wei IH, Huang CC. AMPA Receptor-mTOR Activation is Required for the Antidepressant-Like Effects of Sarcosine during the Forced Swim Test in Rats: Insertion of AMPA Receptor may Play a Role. Front Behav Neurosci 2015; 9:162. [PMID: 26150775 PMCID: PMC4471371 DOI: 10.3389/fnbeh.2015.00162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2015] [Accepted: 06/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Sarcosine, an endogenous amino acid, is a competitive inhibitor of the type I glycine transporter and an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) coagonist. Recently, we found that sarcosine, an NMDAR enhancer, can improve depression-related behaviors in rodents and humans. This result differs from previous studies, which have reported antidepressant effects of NMDAR antagonists. The mechanisms underlying the therapeutic response of sarcosine remain unknown. This study examines the role of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling and α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate receptor (AMPAR) activation, which are involved in the antidepressant-like effects of several glutamatergic system modulators. The effects of sarcosine in a forced swim test (FST) and the expression levels of phosphorylated mTOR signaling proteins were examined in the absence or presence of mTOR and AMPAR inhibitors. In addition, the influence of sarcosine on AMPAR trafficking was determined by analyzing the phosphorylation of AMPAR subunit GluR1 at the PKA site (often considered an indicator for GluR1 membrane insertion in neurons). A single injection of sarcosine exhibited antidepressant-like effects in rats in the FST and rapidly activated the mTOR signaling pathway, which were significantly blocked by mTOR inhibitor rapamycin or the AMPAR inhibitor 2,3-dihydroxy-6-nitro-7-sulfamoyl-benzo(f)quinoxaline (NBQX) pretreatment. Moreover, NBQX pretreatment eliminated the ability of sarcosine to stimulate the phosphorylated mTOR signaling proteins. Furthermore, GluR1 phosphorylation at its PKA site was significantly increased after an acute in vivo sarcosine treatment. The results demonstrated that sarcosine exerts antidepressant-like effects by enhancing AMPAR–mTOR signaling pathway activity and facilitating AMPAR membrane insertion. Highlights A single injection of sarcosine rapidly exerted antidepressant-like effects with a concomitant increase in the activation of the mammalian target of rapamycin mTOR signaling pathway. The antidepressant-like effects of sarcosine occur through the activated AMPAR–mTOR signaling pathway. Sarcosine could enhance AMPAR membrane insertion via an AMPAR throughput.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuang-Ti Chen
- Institute of Basic Medical Science, China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan
| | - Mang-Hung Tsai
- Department of Anatomy, China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan
| | - Ching-Hsiang Wu
- Department of Anatomy, College of Medicine, Taipei Medical University , Taipei , Taiwan
| | - Ming-Jia Jou
- School of Chinese Medicine for Post Baccalaureate, I-Shou University , Kaohsiung , Taiwan
| | - I-Hua Wei
- Department of Anatomy, China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan
| | - Chih-Chia Huang
- Department of Psychiatry, China Medical University Hospital , Taichung , Taiwan ; Institute of Clinical Medical Science, China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan ; Department of Psychiatry, China Medical University , Taichung , Taiwan
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NMDA receptor dysregulation in chronic state: A possible mechanism underlying depression with BDNF downregulation. Neurochem Int 2014; 79:88-97. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2014.09.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2014] [Revised: 09/22/2014] [Accepted: 09/25/2014] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Alexander SPH, Benson HE, Faccenda E, Pawson AJ, Sharman JL, Spedding M, Peters JA, Harmar AJ. The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2013/14: transporters. Br J Pharmacol 2013; 170:1706-96. [PMID: 24528242 PMCID: PMC3892292 DOI: 10.1111/bph.12450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 120] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The Concise Guide to PHARMACOLOGY 2013/14 provides concise overviews of the key properties of over 2000 human drug targets with their pharmacology, plus links to an open access knowledgebase of drug targets and their ligands (www.guidetopharmacology.org), which provides more detailed views of target and ligand properties. The full contents can be found at http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.12444/full. Transporters are one of the seven major pharmacological targets into which the Guide is divided, with the others being G protein-coupled receptors, ligand-gated ion channels, ion channels, catalytic receptors, nuclear hormone receptors and enzymes. These are presented with nomenclature guidance and summary information on the best available pharmacological tools, alongside key references and suggestions for further reading. A new landscape format has easy to use tables comparing related targets. It is a condensed version of material contemporary to late 2013, which is presented in greater detail and constantly updated on the website www.guidetopharmacology.org, superseding data presented in previous Guides to Receptors and Channels. It is produced in conjunction with NC-IUPHAR and provides the official IUPHAR classification and nomenclature for human drug targets, where appropriate. It consolidates information previously curated and displayed separately in IUPHAR-DB and the Guide to Receptors and Channels, providing a permanent, citable, point-in-time record that will survive database updates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen PH Alexander
- School of Life Sciences, University of Nottingham Medical SchoolNottingham, NG7 2UH, UK
| | - Helen E Benson
- The University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of EdinburghEdinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Elena Faccenda
- The University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of EdinburghEdinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Adam J Pawson
- The University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of EdinburghEdinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
| | - Joanna L Sharman
- The University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of EdinburghEdinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
| | | | - John A Peters
- Neuroscience Division, Medical Education Institute, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, University of DundeeDundee, DD1 9SY, UK
| | - Anthony J Harmar
- The University/BHF Centre for Cardiovascular Science, University of EdinburghEdinburgh, EH16 4TJ, UK
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Chan MH, Chung SS, Stoker AK, Markou A, Chen HH. Sarcosine attenuates toluene-induced motor incoordination, memory impairment, and hypothermia but not brain stimulation reward enhancement in mice. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2012; 265:158-65. [PMID: 23067721 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2012.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2012] [Revised: 10/03/2012] [Accepted: 10/05/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Toluene, a widely used and commonly abused organic solvent, produces various behavioral disturbances, including motor incoordination and cognitive impairment. Toluene alters the function of a large number of receptors and ion channels. Blockade of N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors has been suggested to play a critical role in toluene-induced behavioral manifestations. The present study determined the effects of various toluene doses on motor coordination, recognition memory, body temperature, and intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) thresholds in mice. Additionally, the effects of sarcosine on the behavioral and physiological effects induced by toluene were evaluated. Sarcosine may reverse toluene-induced behavioral manifestations by acting as an NMDA receptor co-agonist and by inhibiting the effects of the type I glycine transporter (GlyT1). Mice were treated with toluene alone or combined with sarcosine pretreatment and assessed for rotarod performance, object recognition memory, rectal temperature, and ICSS thresholds. Toluene dose-dependently induced motor incoordination, recognition memory impairment, and hypothermia and lowered ICSS thresholds. Sarcosine pretreatment reversed toluene-induced changes in rotarod performance, novel object recognition, and rectal temperature but not ICSS thresholds. These findings suggest that the sarcosine-induced potentiation of NMDA receptors may reverse motor incoordination, memory impairment, and hypothermia but not the enhancement of brain stimulation reward function associated with toluene exposure. Sarcosine may be a promising compound to prevent acute toluene intoxications by occupational or intentional exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Huan Chan
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tzu Chi University, Hualien, Taiwan
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Based on the glutamatergic NMDA receptor hypofunction theory of schizophrenia, NMDA receptor modulators (NMDARMs) may have therapeutic potential in the treatment of schizophrenia. OBJECTIVE This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the potential of modulators of the NMDA receptor as adjunctive therapy for schizophrenia, using the results from published trials. DATA SOURCES A primary electronic search for controlled clinical trials using NMDARMs in schizophrenia was conducted on the PubMed, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, CINAHL® and PsycINFO databases. A secondary manual search of references from primary publications was also performed. STUDY SELECTION Inclusion criteria were the application of an established method of diagnosis, randomized case assignment, comparison of NMDARM add-on therapy with placebo, and double-blind assessment of symptoms in chronic schizophrenia using standardized rating scales. Results were based on a total sample size of 1253 cases from 29 trials that fulfilled the specified criteria. DATA EXTRACTION Scores on rating scales or on their relevant subscales were obtained for all selected studies from published results for the minimum dataset to compute the difference between post- and pre-trial scores and their pooled standard deviation for NMDARM add-on therapy and placebo groups for negative, positive and total symptoms. RESULTS A negative standardized mean difference (SMD) indicates therapeutic benefit in favour of NMDARM add-on therapy and all SMD results mentioned here are statistically significant. The overall effect size for NMDARMs as a group was small for negative (SMD -0.27) and medium for total (SMD -0.40) symptoms of chronic schizophrenia. Subgroup analysis revealed medium effect sizes for D-serine and N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) for negative (SMD -0.53 and -0.45, respectively) and total (SMD -0.40 and -0.64, respectively) symptoms, and for glycine (SMD -0.66) and sarcosine (SMD -0.41) for total symptoms. As adjuvants to non-clozapine antipsychotics, additional therapeutic benefits were observed for NMDARM as a group (SMD -0.14) and glycine (SMD -0.54) for positive symptoms; D-serine (SMD -0.54), NAC (SMD -0.45) and sarcosine (SMD -0.39) for negative symptoms; and NMDARM as a group (SMD -0.38), D-serine (SMD -0.40), glycine (SMD -1.12), NAC (SMD -0.64) and sarcosine (SMD -0.53) for total symptoms. When added to clozapine, none of the drugs demonstrated therapeutic potential, while addition of glycine (SMD +0.56) worsened positive symptoms. CONCLUSIONS Taking into consideration the number of trials and sample size in subgroup analyses, D-serine, NAC and sarcosine as adjuncts to non-clozapine antipsychotics have therapeutic benefit in the treatment of negative and total symptoms of chronic schizophrenia. While glycine improves positive and total symptoms as an adjuvant to non-clozapine antipsychotics, it worsens them when added to clozapine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra P Singh
- General Adult Psychiatry, Mental Health Directorate, Wolverhampton City Primary Care Trust, Wolverhampton, West Midlands, UK
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Marsden W. Stressor-induced NMDAR dysfunction as a unifying hypothesis for the aetiology, pathogenesis and comorbidity of clinical depression. Med Hypotheses 2011; 77:508-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mehy.2011.06.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2011] [Accepted: 06/05/2011] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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Chen RQ, Wang SH, Yao W, Wang JJ, Ji F, Yan JZ, Ren SQ, Chen Z, Liu SY, Lu W. Role of glycine receptors in glycine-induced LTD in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. Neuropsychopharmacology 2011; 36:1948-58. [PMID: 21593734 PMCID: PMC3154115 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.86] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Glycine in the hippocampus can exert its effect on both synaptic NMDA receptors (NMDARs) and extrasynaptic functional glycine receptors (GlyRs) via distinct binding sites. Previous studies have reported that glycine induces long-term potentiation (LTP) through the activation of synaptic NMDARs. However, little is known about the potential role of the activated GlyRs that are largely located in extrasynaptic regions. We report here that relatively high levels of glycine achieved either by exogenous glycine application or by the elevation of endogenous glycine accumulation with an antagonist of the glycine transporter induced long-term depression (LTD) of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal neurons. The co-application of glycine with the selective GlyR antagonist strychnine changed glycine-induced LTD (Gly-LTD) to LTP. Blocking the postsynaptic GlyR-gated net chloride flux by manipulating intracellular chloride concentrations failed to elicit any changes in EPSCs. These results suggest that GlyRs are involved in Gly-LTD. Furthermore, this new form of chemical LTD was accompanied by the internalization of postsynaptic AMPA receptors and required the activation of NMDARs. Therefore, our present findings reveal an important function of GlyR activation and modulation in gating the direction of synaptic plasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rong-Qing Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Shan-Hui Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen Yao
- Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Jing Wang
- Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Fang Ji
- Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing-Zhi Yan
- Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Si-Qiang Ren
- Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Zheng Chen
- Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Su-Yi Liu
- Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Wei Lu
- Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Neurodegenerative Disease of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Key Laboratory for Human Functional Genomics of Jiangsu Province, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China,Department of Neurobiology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210029, People's Republic of China, Tel: +86 25 86862822, Fax: +86 25 86862822, E-mail:
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Fossat P, Turpin FR, Sacchi S, Dulong J, Shi T, Rivet JM, Sweedler JV, Pollegioni L, Millan MJ, Oliet SHR, Mothet JP. Glial D-serine gates NMDA receptors at excitatory synapses in prefrontal cortex. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2011; 22:595-606. [PMID: 21690263 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhr130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) subserve numerous neurophysiological and neuropathological processes in the cerebral cortex. Their activation requires the binding of glutamate and also of a coagonist. Whereas glycine and D-serine (D-ser) are candidates for such a role at central synapses, the nature of the coagonist in cerebral cortex remains unknown. We first show that the glycine-binding site of NMDARs is not saturated in acute slices preparations of medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Using enzymes that selectively degrade either D-ser or glycine, we demonstrate that under the present conditions, D-ser is the principle endogenous coagonist of synaptic NMDARs at mature excitatory synapses in layers V/VI of mPFC where it is essential for long-term potentiation (LTP) induction. Furthermore, blocking the activity of glia with the metabolic inhibitor, fluoroacetate, impairs NMDAR-mediated synaptic transmission and prevents LTP induction by reducing the extracellular levels of D-serine. Such deficits can be restored by exogenous D-ser, indicating that the D-amino acid mainly originates from glia in the mPFC, as further confirmed by double-immunostaining studies for D-ser and anti-glial fibrillary acidic protein. Our findings suggest that D-ser modulates neuronal networks in the cerebral cortex by gating the activity of NMDARs and that altering its levels is relevant to the induction and potentially treatment of psychiatric and neurological disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Fossat
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale U862, Neurocentre Magendie, 33077 Bordeaux, France
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Abstract
BACKGROUND Several lines of evidence implicate glutamatergic neurotransmission in the pathophysiology of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Sarcosine is an endogenous antagonist of glycine transporter-1. By blocking glycine uptake, sarcosine may increase the availability of synaptic glycine and enhance N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) subtype glutamatergic neurotransmission. In this 10-week open-label trial, we examined the potential benefit of sarcosine treatment in OCD patients. METHOD Twenty-six outpatients with OCD and baseline Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) scores higher than 16 were enrolled. Drug-naive subjects (group 1, n = 8) and those who had discontinued serotonin reuptake inhibitors for at least 8 weeks at study entry (group 2, n = 6) received sarcosine monotherapy. The other subjects (group 3, n = 12) received sarcosine as adjunctive treatment. A flexible dosage schedule of sarcosine 500 to 2000 mg/d was applied. The primary outcome measures were Y-BOCS and Hamilton Anxiety Inventory, rated at weeks 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10. Results were analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance. RESULTS Data of 25 subjects were eligible for analysis. The mean ± SD Y-BOCS scores decreased from 27.6 ± 5.8 to 22.7 ± 8.7, indicating a mean decrease of 19.8% ± 21.7% (P = 0.0035). Eight (32%) subjects were regarded as responders with greater than 35% reduction of Y-BOCS scores. Five of the responders achieved the good response early by week 4. Although not statistically significant, drug-naive (group 1) subjects had more profound and sustained improvement and more responders than the subjects who had received treatment before (groups 2 and 3). Sarcosine was tolerated well; only one subject withdrew owing to transient headache. CONCLUSION Sarcosine treatment can achieve a fast therapeutic effect in some OCD patients, particularly those who are treatment naive. The study supports the glycine transporter-1 as a novel target for developing new OCD treatment. Large-series placebo-controlled, double-blind studies are recommended.
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Chen X, Overcash R, Green T, Hoffman D, Asch AS, Ruiz-Echevarría MJ. The tumor suppressor activity of the transmembrane protein with epidermal growth factor and two follistatin motifs 2 (TMEFF2) correlates with its ability to modulate sarcosine levels. J Biol Chem 2011; 286:16091-100. [PMID: 21393249 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m110.193805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The type I transmembrane protein with epidermal growth factor and two follistatin motifs 2 (TMEFF2) is expressed in brain and prostate and overexpressed in prostate cancer, but its role in this disease is unclear. Several studies have suggested that TMEFF2 plays a role in suppressing the growth and invasive potential of human cancer cells, whereas others suggest that the shed portion of TMEFF2, which lacks the cytoplasmic region, has a growth-promoting activity. Here we show that TMEFF2 has a dual mode of action. Ectopic expression of wild-type full-length TMEFF2 inhibits soft agar colony formation, cellular invasion, and migration and increases cellular sensitivity to apoptosis. However, expression of the ectodomain portion of TMEFF2 increases cell proliferation. Using affinity chromatography and mass spectrometry, we identify sarcosine dehydrogenase (SARDH), the enzyme that converts sarcosine to glycine, as a TMEFF2-interacting protein. Co-immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence analysis confirms the interaction of SARDH with full-length TMEFF2. The ectodomain does not bind to SARDH. Moreover, expression of the full-length TMEFF2 but not the ectodomain results in a decreased level of sarcosine in the cells. These results suggest that the tumor suppressor activity of TMEFF2 requires the cytoplasmic/transmembrane portion of the protein and correlates with its ability to bind to SARDH and to modulate the level of sarcosine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaofei Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Brody School of Medicine, Greenville, North Carolina 27834, USA
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Effects of sarcosine, a glycine transporter type 1 inhibitor, in two mouse seizure models. Pharmacol Rep 2010; 62:392-7. [PMID: 20508295 DOI: 10.1016/s1734-1140(10)70279-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2009] [Revised: 10/20/2009] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Sarcosine, a natural amino acid found in muscles and other body tissues, is an endogenous glycine transporter type 1 inhibitor that increases the glycine concentration, resulting in an indirect potentiation of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) subtype of glutamate receptors. Sarcosine, similar to other NMDA receptor-activating agents, is an effective adjuvant in the treatment of schizophrenia. It is widely accepted that increased glutamatergic neurotransmission is involved in the initiation and propagation of seizures. Because sarcosine facilitates NMDA receptor function, it may affect the seizure threshold. Therefore, we examined the effects of sarcosine on the seizure threshold in two different mouse seizure models: the timed intravenous (iv) pentylenetetrazole (PTZ) infusion test and the maximal electroshock seizure threshold test. In the iv PTZ test, sarcosine did not exert a significant effect on the seizure threshold at any of the doses tested (100, 200, 400 and 800 mg/kg, ip). However, at doses of 400 and 800 mg/kg, sarcosine significantly raised the threshold for electroconvulsions (p < 0.01). The present findings indicate that sarcosine did not lower the seizure threshold. Conversely, sarcosine showed weak anticonvulsant properties by increasing the threshold current for the induction of tonic seizures. Therefore, sarcosine may be considered as a safe adjuvant treatment for schizophrenia without proconvulsant risk. In addition, the compound may serve as an interesting addition to epilepsy treatment.
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Traynelis SF, Wollmuth LP, McBain CJ, Menniti FS, Vance KM, Ogden KK, Hansen KB, Yuan H, Myers SJ, Dingledine R. Glutamate receptor ion channels: structure, regulation, and function. Pharmacol Rev 2010; 62:405-96. [PMID: 20716669 PMCID: PMC2964903 DOI: 10.1124/pr.109.002451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2608] [Impact Index Per Article: 186.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The mammalian ionotropic glutamate receptor family encodes 18 gene products that coassemble to form ligand-gated ion channels containing an agonist recognition site, a transmembrane ion permeation pathway, and gating elements that couple agonist-induced conformational changes to the opening or closing of the permeation pore. Glutamate receptors mediate fast excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system and are localized on neuronal and non-neuronal cells. These receptors regulate a broad spectrum of processes in the brain, spinal cord, retina, and peripheral nervous system. Glutamate receptors are postulated to play important roles in numerous neurological diseases and have attracted intense scrutiny. The description of glutamate receptor structure, including its transmembrane elements, reveals a complex assembly of multiple semiautonomous extracellular domains linked to a pore-forming element with striking resemblance to an inverted potassium channel. In this review we discuss International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology glutamate receptor nomenclature, structure, assembly, accessory subunits, interacting proteins, gene expression and translation, post-translational modifications, agonist and antagonist pharmacology, allosteric modulation, mechanisms of gating and permeation, roles in normal physiological function, as well as the potential therapeutic use of pharmacological agents acting at glutamate receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephen F Traynelis
- Department of Pharmacology, Emory University School of Medicine, Rollins Research Center, 1510 Clifton Road, Atlanta, GA 30322-3090, USA.
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Hashimoto K. Glycine transport inhibitors for the treatment of schizophrenia. THE OPEN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY JOURNAL 2010; 4:10-9. [PMID: 21253021 PMCID: PMC3023951 DOI: 10.2174/1874104501004010010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2009] [Revised: 09/18/2009] [Accepted: 09/21/2009] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Multiple lines of evidence indicate that hypofunction of glutamatergic neurotransmission via N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors might be implicated in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia, suggesting that increasing NMDA receptor function via pharmacological manipulation could provide a new strategy for the management of schizophrenia. Currently, the glycine modulatory sites on NMDA receptors present the most attractive therapeutic targets for the treatment of schizophrenia. One means of enhancing NMDA receptor neurotransmission is to increase the availability of the obligatory co-agonist glycine at modulatory sites on the NMDA receptors through the inhibition of glycine transporter-1 (GlyT-1) on glial cells. Clinical studies have demonstrated that the GlyT-1 inhibitor sarcosine (N-methyl glycine) shows antipsychotic activity in patients with schizophrenia. Accordingly, a number of pharmaceutical companies have developed novel and selective GlyT-1 inhibitors for the treatment of schizophrenia. This paper provides an overview of the various GlyT-1 inhibitors and their therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Hashimoto
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic, Mental Health, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba 260-8670, Japan
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Chalphin AV, Saha MS. The specification of glycinergic neurons and the role of glycinergic transmission in development. Front Mol Neurosci 2010; 3:11. [PMID: 20461146 PMCID: PMC2866564 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2010.00011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2010] [Accepted: 03/23/2010] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Glycine's role as an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the adult vertebrate nervous system has been well characterized in a number of different model organisms. However, a full understanding of glycinergic transmission requires a knowledge of how glycinergic synapses emerge and the role of glycinergic signaling during development. Recent literature has provided a detailed picture of the developmental expression of many of the molecular components that comprise the glycinergic phenotype, namely the glycine transporters and the glycine receptor subunits; the transcriptional networks leading to the expression of this important neurotransmitter phenotype are also being elucidated. An equally important focus of research has revealed the critical role of glycinergic signaling in sculpting many different aspects of neural development. This review examines the current literature detailing the expression patterns of the components of the glycinergic phenotype in various vertebrate model organisms over the course of development and the molecular mechanisms governing the expression of the glycinergic phenotype. The review then surveys the recent work on the role of glycinergic signaling in the developing nervous system and concludes with an overview of areas for further research.
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Chen HH, Stoker A, Markou A. The glutamatergic compounds sarcosine and N-acetylcysteine ameliorate prepulse inhibition deficits in metabotropic glutamate 5 receptor knockout mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2010; 209:343-50. [PMID: 20217053 PMCID: PMC2855017 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-010-1802-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2009] [Accepted: 02/11/2010] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Mice lacking metabotropic glutamate receptors 5 (mGluR5) exhibit reduced glutamatergic function and behavioral abnormalities, including deficits in prepulse inhibition (PPI) of the startle response that may be relevant to schizophrenia. Thus, these mice are an animal model that may be used for preclinical evaluation of potentially new classes of antipsychotic compounds. Recent clinical studies have suggested several compounds that modulate glutamatergic transmission through distinct mechanisms, such as potentiation of the N-methyl-D: -aspartate (NMDA) receptor glycine site, activation of group II mGluR, and activation of glutamate-cysteine antiporters, as being efficacious in the treatment of schizophrenia. OBJECTIVES The aim of this work is to evaluate the effects of sarcosine (a selective inhibitor of the glycine transporter 1 [GlyT1]), LY379268 (a group II mGluR agonist), and N-acetylcysteine (a cysteine prodrug that indirectly activates cystine-glutamate antiporters to increase glutamate levels in the extrasynaptic space) on PPI deficits in mGluR5 knockout mice. RESULTS Sarcosine and N-acetylcysteine, but not LY379268, ameliorated PPI deficits in mGluR5 knockout mice. The ability of N-acetylcysteine to restore PPI deficits was not blocked by the group II mGluR antagonist LY341495, indicating that the effects of N-acetylcysteine were not attributable to activation of group II mGluRs by glutamate. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide evidence that the interactions between mGluR5 and NMDA receptors are involved in the regulation of PPI and suggest that activation of glutamate receptors, other than group II receptors, by increased endogenous glutamate transmission, may ameliorate the behavioral abnormalities associated with mGluR5 deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hwei-Hsien Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Tzu Chi University, 701, Section 3, Chung-Yang Road, Hualien, 970, Taiwan.
| | - Astrid Stoker
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0603 USA ,Department of Psychopharmacology, Utrecht Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, University of Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Athina Markou
- Department of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0603 USA
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