1
|
Expression and Kinetics of Endogenous Cannabinoids in the Brain and Spinal Cord of a Spare Nerve Injury (SNI) Model of Neuropathic Pain. Cells 2022; 11:cells11244130. [PMID: 36552893 PMCID: PMC9776457 DOI: 10.3390/cells11244130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The role of endogenous cannabinoids in neuropathic pain has been actively studied, among which 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG) has received the most attention. However, owing to its chemical properties, direct detection of 2-AG distribution in tissues is difficult. Moreover, although desorption electrospray ionization mass spectrometry imaging (DESI-MSI) has enabled the detection of 2-AG, its distribution in the brain and spinal cord of neuropathic pain models has not been reported. In this study, the expression and distribution of 2-AG in the brain and spinal cord of a spare nerve injury (SNI) mice model of neuropathic pain was examined using DESI-MSI. The brain and lumbar spinal cord were collected and analyzed on days 3, 7, and 21 after treatment. On days 3 and 7 after treatment, 2-AG expression in the SNI model was decreased in the hypothalamus, midbrain, and especially in the periaqueductal gray (PAG) region but increased in the lumbar spinal cord. On day 21, the SNI model showed decreased 2-AG expression in the hypothalamus, but the difference from the control was not significant. Furthermore, there were no differences in 2-AG expression between the lumbar spinal cord, midbrain, or PAG. These data suggest that 2-AG might be involved in pain control.
Collapse
|
2
|
Bajaj S, Jain S, Vyas P, Bawa S, Vohora D. The role of endocannabinoid pathway in the neuropathology of Alzheimer's disease: Can the inhibitors of MAGL and FAAH prove to be potential therapeutic targets against the cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease? Brain Res Bull 2021; 174:305-322. [PMID: 34217798 DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2021.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive decline of cognitive function in combination with neuronal death. Current approved treatment target single dysregulated pathway instead of multiple mechanism, resulting in lack of efficacy in slowing down disease progression. The proclivity of endocannabinoid system to exert neuroprotective action and mitigate symptoms of neurodegeneration condition has received substantial interest. Growing evidence suggest the endocannabinoids (eCB) system, viz. anadamide (AEA) and arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG), as potential therapeutic targets with the ability to modify Alzheimer's pathology by targeting the inflammatory, neurodegenerative and cognitive aspects of the disease. In order to modulate endocannabinoid system, number of agents have been reported amongst which are inhibitors of the monoacylglycerol (MAGL) and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzymes that hydrolyses 2-AG and AEA respectively. However, little is known regarding the exact mechanistic signalling and their effects on pathophysiology and cognitive decline associated with Alzheimer's disease. Both MAGL and FAAH inhibitors possess fascinating properties that may offer a multi-faceted approach for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease such as potential to protect neurons from deleterious effect of amyloid-β, reducing phosphorylation of tau, reducing amyloid-β induced oxidative stress, stimulating neurotrophin to support brain intrinsic repair mechanism etc. Based on empirical evidence, MAGL and FAAH inhibitors might have potential for therapeutic efficacy against cognitive impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this review is to summarize the experimental studies demonstrating the polyvalent properties of MAGL or FAAH inhibitor compounds for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, and also effect of these on learning and types of memories, which together encourage to study these compounds over other therapeutics targets. Further research in this direction would enhance the molecular mechanisms and development of applicable interventions for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, which nevertheless stay as the primary unmet need.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shivanshu Bajaj
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Shreshta Jain
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Preeti Vyas
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Sandhya Bawa
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India
| | - Divya Vohora
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, India.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Abstract
In this review, the state of the art for compounds affecting the endocannabinoid (eCB) system is described with a focus on the treatment of pain. Amongst directly acting CB receptor ligands, clinical experience with ∆9 -tetrahydracannabinol and medical cannabis in chronic non-cancer pain indicates that there are differences between the benefits perceived by patients and the at best modest effect seen in meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials. The reason for this difference is not known but may involve differences in the type of patients that are recruited, the study conditions that are chosen and the degree to which biases such as reporting bias are operative. Other directly acting CB receptor ligands such as biased agonists and allosteric receptor modulators have not yet reached the clinic. Amongst indirectly acting compounds targeting the enzymes responsible for the synthesis and catabolism of the eCBs anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitors have been investigated clinically but were per se not useful for the treatment of pain, although they may be useful for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder and cannabis use disorder. Dual-acting compounds targeting this enzyme and other targets such as cyclooxygenase-2 or transient potential vanilloid receptor 1 may be a way forward for the treatment of pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- C J Fowler
- From the, Department of Integrative Medical Biology, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Nass SR, Steele FF, Ware TB, Libby AH, Hsu KL, Kinsey SG. Monoacylglycerol Lipase Inhibition Using JZL184 Attenuates Paw Inflammation and Functional Deficits in a Mouse Model of Inflammatory Arthritis. Cannabis Cannabinoid Res 2021; 6:233-241. [PMID: 34042520 DOI: 10.1089/can.2020.0177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experience joint swelling and cartilage destruction resulting in chronic pain, functional disability, and compromised joint function. Current RA treatments, including glucocorticoid receptor agonists, produce adverse side effects and lack prolonged treatment efficacy. Cannabinoids (i.e., cannabis-like signaling molecules) exert anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects with limited side effects compared to traditional immunosuppressants, making them excellent targets for the development of new arthritic therapeutics. Monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) inhibition reduces inflammation in mouse models of acute inflammation, through cannabinoid receptor dependent and independent pathways. The current study investigated the efficacy of inhibiting synthetic and catabolic enzymes that regulate the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in blocking paw inflammation, pain-related behaviors, and functional loss caused by collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). Methods: Male DB1A mice subjected to CIA were administered the glucocorticoid agonist dexamethasone (DEX), MAGL inhibitor JZL184 (8 or 40 mg/kg, s.c.), alone or in combination, or diacylglycerol lipase β (DAGLβ) inhibitor KT109 (40 mg/kg, s.c.). CIA-induced deficits were assayed by arthritic clinical scoring, paw thickness measurements, and behavioral tests of pain and paw function. Results: DEX or dual administration with JZL184 reduced paw thickness and clinical scores, and JZL184 dose-dependently attenuated grip strength and balance beam deficits caused by CIA. Traditional measures of pain-induced behaviors (hyperalgesia and allodynia) were inconsistent. The antiarthritic effects of JZL184 (40 mg/kg) were largely blocked by coadministration of the CB2 antagonist SR144528, and the DAGLβ inhibitor KT109 had no effect on CIA, indicating that these effects likely occurred through CB2 activation. Conclusions: MAGL inhibition reduced paw inflammation and pain-depressed behavioral signs of arthritis, likely through an endocannabinoid mechanism requiring CB2. These data support the development of MAGL as a target for therapeutic treatment of inflammatory arthritis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara R Nass
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Floyd F Steele
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA
| | - Timothy B Ware
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Adam H Libby
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Ku-Lung Hsu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Steven G Kinsey
- Department of Psychology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia, USA.,School of Nursing, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Kaminski NE, Kaplan BLF. Immunomodulation by cannabinoids: Current uses, mechanisms, and identification of data gaps to be addressed for additional therapeutic application. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY 2021; 91:1-59. [PMID: 34099105 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoid system plays a critical role in immunity and therefore its components, including cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CB1 and CB2), are putative druggable targets for immune-mediated diseases. Whether modulating endogenous cannabinoid levels or interacting with CB1 or CB2 receptors directly, cannabinoids or cannabinoid-based therapeutics (CBTs) show promise as anti-inflammatory or immune suppressive agents. Herein we provide an overview of cannabinoid effects in animals and humans that provide support for the use of CBTs in immune-mediated disease such as multiple sclerosis (MS), inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), asthma, arthritis, diabetes, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and HIV-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). This is not an exhaustive review of cannabinoid effects on immune responses, but rather provides: (1) key studies in which initial and/or novel observations were made in animal studies; (2) critical human studies including meta-analyses and randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in which CBTs have been assessed; and (3) evidence for the role of CB1 or CB2 receptors in immune-mediated diseases through genetic analyses of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the CNR1 and CNR2 genes that encode CB1 or CB2 receptors, respectively. Perhaps most importantly, we provide our view of data gaps that exist, which if addressed, would allow for more rigorous evaluation of the efficacy and risk to benefit ratio of the use of cannabinoids and/or CBTs for immune-mediated diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Norbert E Kaminski
- Institute for Integrative Toxicology, Center for Research on Ingredient Safety, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, United States
| | - Barbara L F Kaplan
- Center for Environmental Health Sciences, Department of Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State, MS, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Hamilton AJ, Payne AD, Mocerino M, Gunosewoyo H. Imaging Cannabinoid Receptors: A Brief Collection of Covalent and Fluorescent Probes for CB1 and CB2 Receptors. Aust J Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.1071/ch21007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
There has been an expanding public interest towards the notion that modulation of the sophisticated endocannabinoid system can lead to various therapeutic benefits that are yet to be fully explored. In recent years, the drug discovery paradigm in this field has been largely based on the development of selective CB2 receptor agonists, avoiding the unwanted CB1 receptor-mediated psychoactive side effects. Mechanistically, target engagement studies are crucial for confirming the ligand–receptor interaction and the subsequent biological cascades that lead to the observed therapeutic effects. Concurrently, imaging techniques for visualisation of cannabinoid receptors are increasingly reported in the literature. Small molecule imaging tools ranging from phytocannabinoids such as tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) to the endocannabinoids as well as the purely synthetic cannabimimetics, have been explored to date with varying degrees of success. This Review will cover currently known photoactivatable, electrophilic, and fluorescent ligands for both the CB1 and CB2 receptors. Structural insights from techniques such as ligand-assisted protein structure (LAPS) and the discovery of novel allosteric modulators are significant additions for better understanding of the endocannabinoid system. There has also been a plethora of fluorescent conjugates that have been assessed for their binding to cannabinoid receptors as well as their potential for cellular imaging. More recently, bifunctional probes containing either fluorophores or electrophilic tags are becoming more prevalent in the literature. Collectively, these molecular tools are invaluable in demonstrating target engagement within the human endocannabinoid system.
Collapse
|
7
|
van Egmond N, Straub VM, van der Stelt M. Targeting Endocannabinoid Signaling: FAAH and MAG Lipase Inhibitors. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2020; 61:441-463. [PMID: 32867595 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-030220-112741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Inspired by the medicinal properties of the plant Cannabis sativa and its principal component (-)-trans-Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), researchers have developed a variety of compounds to modulate the endocannabinoid system in the human brain. Inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), which are the enzymes responsible for the inactivation of the endogenous cannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol, respectively, may exert therapeutic effects without inducing the adverse side effects associated with direct cannabinoid CB1 receptor stimulation by THC. Here we review the FAAH and MAGL inhibitors that have reached clinical trials, discuss potential caveats, and provide an outlook on where the field is headed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Noëlle van Egmond
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Verena M Straub
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Mario van der Stelt
- Department of Molecular Physiology, Leiden University, 2333 CC Leiden, The Netherlands;
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Kiso T, Watabiki T, Sekizawa T. ASP8477, a fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor, exerts analgesic effects in rat models of neuropathic and dysfunctional pain. Eur J Pharmacol 2020; 881:173194. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2020.173194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Revised: 05/08/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
|
9
|
Wilt SR, Rodriguez M, Le TNH, Baltodano EV, Salas A, Pecic S. Design, microwave-assisted synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular modeling studies of 4-phenylthiazoles as potent fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors. Chem Biol Drug Des 2020; 95:534-547. [PMID: 32061147 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2019] [Revised: 01/03/2020] [Accepted: 02/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Endocannabinoids, anandamide (AEA) and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), are endogenous lipids that activate cannabinoid receptors. Activation of these receptors produces anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is a membrane enzyme that hydrolases endocannabinoids; thus, inhibition of FAAH represents an attractive approach to develop new therapeutics for treating inflammation and pain. Previously, potent rat FAAH inhibitors containing 2-naphthyl- and 4-phenylthiazole scaffolds were identified, but up to the present time, very little structure-activity relationship studies have been performed on these moieties. We designed and synthesized several analogs containing these structural motifs and evaluated their inhibition potencies against human FAAH enzyme. In addition, we built and validated a homology model of human FAAH enzyme and performed docking experiments. We identified several inhibitors in the low nanomolar range and calculated their ADME predicted values. These FAAH inhibitors represent promising drug candidates for future preclinical in vivo studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie R Wilt
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University-Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
| | - Mark Rodriguez
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University-Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
| | - Thanh N H Le
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University-Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
| | - Emily V Baltodano
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University-Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
| | - Adrian Salas
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University-Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
| | - Stevan Pecic
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University-Fullerton, Fullerton, CA, USA
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abstract
The urea functionality is inherent to numerous bioactive compounds, including a variety of clinically approved therapies. Urea containing compounds are increasingly used in medicinal chemistry and drug design in order to establish key drug-target interactions and fine-tune crucial drug-like properties. In this perspective, we highlight physicochemical and conformational properties of urea derivatives. We provide outlines of traditional reagents and chemical procedures for the preparation of ureas. Also, we discuss newly developed methodologies mainly aimed at overcoming safety issues associated with traditional synthesis. Finally, we provide a broad overview of urea-based medicinally relevant compounds, ranging from approved drugs to recent medicinal chemistry developments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Arun K Ghosh
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States
| | - Margherita Brindisi
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907, United States.,Department of Excellence of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Naples, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Yu HS, Gao C, Lupyan D, Wu Y, Kimura T, Wu C, Jacobson L, Harder E, Abel R, Wang L. Toward Atomistic Modeling of Irreversible Covalent Inhibitor Binding Kinetics. J Chem Inf Model 2019; 59:3955-3967. [PMID: 31425654 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.9b00268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Covalent inhibitors have emerged as an important drug class in recent years, largely due to their many unique advantages as compared to noncovalent inhibitors, including longer duration of action, lower prolonged systemic exposure, higher potency, and selectivity. However, the potential off-target toxicity of covalent inhibitors, particularly of irreversible covalent inhibitors, represents a great challenge in covalent drug development. Therefore, accurate calculation of protein covalent inhibitor reaction kinetics to guide the design of selective inhibitors would greatly benefit covalent drug discovery efforts. In the present paper, we present a computational method to calculate the relative reaction kinetics between congeneric irreversible covalent inhibitors and their protein receptors. The method combines density functional theory calculations of the transition state barrier height of the rate-limiting step for reaction between the warhead of the inhibitor and a single protein residue, and molecular-mechanics-based free energy calculations to account for the interactions between the ligand in the transition state and the protein environment. The method was tested on four pharmaceutically interesting irreversible covalent binding systems involving 28 ligands; the mean unsigned error (MUE) of the relative reaction rate for all pairs of ligands between the predictions and experimental results for these tested systems is 0.79 log unit. This is to our knowledge the first time where the reaction kinetics of protein irreversible covalent inhibition have been directly calculated with physics-based free energy calculation methods and transition state theory. We anticipate the outstanding accuracy demonstrated here across a broad range of target classes will have a strong impact on the design of selective covalent inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu S Yu
- Schrodinger, Inc. , 120 West 45th Street , New York , New York 10036 , United States
| | - Cen Gao
- Eli Lilly and Company , Lilly Corporate Center , Indianapolis , Indiana 46285 , United States
| | - Dmitry Lupyan
- Schrodinger, Inc. , 120 West 45th Street , New York , New York 10036 , United States
| | - Yujie Wu
- Schrodinger, Inc. , 120 West 45th Street , New York , New York 10036 , United States
| | - Takayuki Kimura
- Schrodinger, Inc. , 101 SW Main Street, Suite 1300 , Portland , Oregon 97204 , United States
| | - Chuanjie Wu
- Schrodinger, Inc. , 120 West 45th Street , New York , New York 10036 , United States
| | - Leif Jacobson
- Schrodinger, Inc. , 120 West 45th Street , New York , New York 10036 , United States
| | - Edward Harder
- Schrodinger, Inc. , 120 West 45th Street , New York , New York 10036 , United States
| | - Robert Abel
- Schrodinger, Inc. , 120 West 45th Street , New York , New York 10036 , United States
| | - Lingle Wang
- Schrodinger, Inc. , 120 West 45th Street , New York , New York 10036 , United States
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptors, endocannabinoids and the enzymes responsible for their biosynthesis and degradation constitute the endocannabinoid system. In recent decades, the endocannabinoid system has attracted considerable interest as a potential therapeutic target in numerous pathological conditions. Its involvement in several physiological processes is well known, such as in energy balance, appetite stimulation, blood pressure, pain modulation, embryogenesis, nausea and vomiting control, memory, learning and immune response, among others, as well as in pathological conditions where it exerts a protective role in the development of certain disorders. As a result, it has been reported that changes in endocannabinoid levels may be related to neurological diseases such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease, Alzheimer's disease and multiple sclerosis, as well as anorexia and irritable bowel syndrome. Alterations in the endocannabinoid system have also been associated with cancer, affecting the growth, migration and invasion of some tumours. Cannabinoids have been tested in several cancer types, including brain, breast and prostate cancers. Cannabinoids have shown promise as analgesics for the treatment of both inflammatory and neuropathic pain. There is also evidence for a role of the endocannabinoid system in the control of emotional states, and cannabinoids could prove useful in decreasing and palliating post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms and anxiolytic disorders. The role of the endocannabinoid system in addictions has also been examined, and cannabinoids have been postulated as alternative and co-adjuvant treatments in some abuse syndromes, mainly in ethanol and opioid abuses. The expression of the endocannabinoid system in the eye suggests that it could be a potential therapeutic target for eye diseases. Considering the importance of the endocannabinoid system and the therapeutic potential of cannabinoids in this vast number of medical conditions, several clinical studies with cannabinoid-based medications are ongoing. In addition, some cannabinoid-based medications have already been approved in various countries, including nabilone and dronabinol capsules for the treatment of nausea and vomiting associated with chemotherapy, dronabinol capsules for anorexia, an oral solution of dronabinol for both vomiting associated with chemotherapy and anorexia, a Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol/cannabidiol oromucosal spray for pain related to cancer and for spasticity and pain associated with multiple sclerosis, and an oral solution of cannabidiol for Dravet and Lennox-Gastaut syndromes. Here, we review the available efficacy, safety and tolerability data for cannabinoids in a range of medical conditions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Isabel Fraguas-Sánchez
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Food Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 , Madrid, Spain
| | - Ana Isabel Torres-Suárez
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Food Technology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Plaza Ramón y Cajal s/n, 28040 , Madrid, Spain. .,Institute of Industrial Pharmacy, Complutense University of Madrid, 28040 , Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Ney LJ, Matthews A, Bruno R, Felmingham KL. Cannabinoid interventions for PTSD: Where to next? Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2019; 93:124-140. [PMID: 30946942 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2019.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Revised: 03/20/2019] [Accepted: 03/29/2019] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoids are a promising method for pharmacological treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Despite considerable research devoted to the effect of cannabinoid modulation on PTSD symptomology, there is not a currently agreed way by which the cannabinoid system should be targeted in humans. In this review, we present an overview of recent research identifying neurological pathways by which different cannabinoid-based treatments may exert their effects on PTSD symptomology. We evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each of these different approaches, including recent challenges presented to favourable options such as fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitors. This article makes the strengths and challenges of different potential cannabinoid treatments accessible to psychological researchers interested in cannabinoid therapeutics and aims to aid selection of appropriate tools for future clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luke J Ney
- School of Psychology, University of Tasmania, Australia.
| | | | | | - Kim L Felmingham
- School of Psychological Sciences, University of Melbourne, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Otrubova K, Chatterjee S, Ghimire S, Cravatt BF, Boger DL. N-Acyl pyrazoles: Effective and tunable inhibitors of serine hydrolases. Bioorg Med Chem 2019; 27:1693-1703. [PMID: 30879861 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.03.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 03/08/2019] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
A series of N-acyl pyrazoles was examined as candidate serine hydrolase inhibitors in which the active site acylating reactivity and the leaving group ability of the pyrazole could be tuned not only through the nature of the acyl group (reactivity: amide > carbamate > urea), but also through pyrazole C4 substitution with electron-withdrawing or electron-donating substituents. Their impact on enzyme inhibitory activity displayed pronounced effects with the activity improving substantially as one alters both the nature of the reacting carbonyl group (urea > carbamate > amide) and the pyrazole C4 substituent (CN > H > Me). It was further demonstrated that the acyl chain of the N-acyl pyrazole ureas can be used to tailor the potency and selectivity of the inhibitor class to a targeted serine hydrolase. Thus, elaboration of the acyl chain of pyrazole-based ureas provided remarkably potent, irreversible inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH, apparent Ki = 100-200 pM), dual inhibitors of FAAH and monoacylglycerol hydrolase (MGLL), or selective inhibitors of MGLL (IC50 = 10-20 nM) while simultaneously minimizing off-target activity (e.g., ABHD6 and KIAA1363).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katerina Otrubova
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Shreyosree Chatterjee
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Srijana Ghimire
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Benjamin F Cravatt
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Dale L Boger
- Department of Chemistry and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Scherma M, Masia P, Satta V, Fratta W, Fadda P, Tanda G. Brain activity of anandamide: a rewarding bliss? Acta Pharmacol Sin 2019; 40:309-323. [PMID: 30050084 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-018-0075-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2018] [Accepted: 05/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Anandamide is a lipid mediator that acts as an endogenous ligand of CB1 receptors. These receptors are also the primary molecular target responsible for the pharmacological effects of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol, the psychoactive ingredient in Cannabis sativa. Several studies demonstrate that anandamide exerts an overall modulatory effect on the brain reward circuitry. Several reports suggest its involvement in the addiction-producing actions of other abused drugs, and it can also act as a behavioral reinforcer in animal models of drug abuse. Importantly, all these effects of anandamide appear to be potentiated by pharmacological inhibition of its metabolic degradation. Enhanced brain levels of anandamide after treatment with inhibitors of fatty acid amide hydrolase, the main enzyme responsible for its degradation, seem to affect the rewarding and reinforcing actions of many drugs of abuse. In this review, we will provide an overview from a preclinical perspective of the current state of knowledge regarding the behavioral pharmacology of anandamide, with a particular emphasis on its motivational/reinforcing properties. We will also discuss how modulation of anandamide levels through inhibition of enzymatic metabolic pathways could provide a basis for developing new pharmaco-therapeutic tools for the treatment of substance use disorders.
Collapse
|
16
|
Huang Z, Ogasawara D, Seneviratne UI, Cognetta AB, am Ende CW, Nason DM, Lapham K, Litchfield J, Johnson DS, Cravatt BF. Global Portrait of Protein Targets of Metabolites of the Neurotoxic Compound BIA 10-2474. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:192-197. [PMID: 30702848 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b01097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Clinical investigation of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor BIA 10-2474 resulted in serious adverse neurological events. Structurally unrelated FAAH inhibitors tested in humans have not presented safety concerns, suggesting that BIA 10-2474 has off-target activities. A recent activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) study revealed that BIA 10-2474 and one of its major metabolites inhibit multiple members of the serine hydrolase class to which FAAH belongs. Here, we extend these studies by performing a proteome-wide analysis of covalent targets of BIA 10-2474 metabolites. Using alkynylated probes for click chemistry-ABPP in human cells, we show that des-methylated metabolites of BIA 10-2474 covalently modify the conserved catalytic cysteine in aldehyde dehydrogenases, including ALDH2, which has been implicated in protecting the brain from oxidative stress-related damage. These findings indicate that BIA 10-2474 and its metabolites have the potential to inhibit multiple mechanistically distinct enzyme classes involved in nervous system function.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Huang
- Medicine Design, Chemical Biology, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Daisuke Ogasawara
- Department of Chemistry, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Uthpala I. Seneviratne
- Medicine Design, Chemical Biology, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Armand B. Cognetta
- Department of Chemistry, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Christopher W. am Ende
- Medicine Design, Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Deane M. Nason
- Medicine Design, Medicinal Chemistry, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - Kimberly Lapham
- Medicine Design, Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Eastern Point Road, Groton, Connecticut 06340, United States
| | - John Litchfield
- Medicine Design, Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics and Metabolism, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Douglas S. Johnson
- Medicine Design, Chemical Biology, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Benjamin F. Cravatt
- Department of Chemistry, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Ogasawara D, Ichu TA, Jing H, Hulce JJ, Reed A, Ulanovskaya OA, Cravatt BF. Discovery and Optimization of Selective and in Vivo Active Inhibitors of the Lysophosphatidylserine Lipase α/β-Hydrolase Domain-Containing 12 (ABHD12). J Med Chem 2019; 62:1643-1656. [PMID: 30720278 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
ABHD12 is a membrane-bound hydrolytic enzyme that acts on the lysophosphatidylserine (lyso-PS) and lysophosphatidylinositol (lyso-PI) classes of immunomodulatory lipids. Human and mouse genetic studies point to a key role for the ABHD12-(lyso)-PS/PI pathway in regulating (neuro)immunological functions in both the central nervous system and periphery. Selective inhibitors of ABHD12 would offer valuable pharmacological probes to complement genetic models of ABHD12-regulated (lyso)-PS/PI metabolism and signaling. Here, we provide a detailed description of the discovery and activity-based protein profiling (ABPP) guided optimization of reversible thiourea inhibitors of ABHD12 that culminated in the identification of DO264 as a potent, selective, and in vivo active ABHD12 inhibitor. We also show that DO264, but not a structurally related inactive control probe (S)-DO271, augments inflammatory cytokine production from human THP-1 macrophage cells. The in vitro and in vivo properties of DO264 designate this compound as a suitable chemical probe for studying the biological functions of ABHD12-(lyso)-PS/PI pathways.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Ogasawara
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Taka-Aki Ichu
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Hui Jing
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Jonathan J Hulce
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| | - Alex Reed
- Abide Therapeutics , 10835 Road to the Cure , San Diego , California 92121 , United States
| | - Olesya A Ulanovskaya
- Abide Therapeutics , 10835 Road to the Cure , San Diego , California 92121 , United States
| | - Benjamin F Cravatt
- Department of Chemistry , The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road , La Jolla , California 92037 , United States
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Granchi C, Lapillo M, Glasmacher S, Bononi G, Licari C, Poli G, el Boustani M, Caligiuri I, Rizzolio F, Gertsch J, Macchia M, Minutolo F, Tuccinardi T, Chicca A. Optimization of a Benzoylpiperidine Class Identifies a Highly Potent and Selective Reversible Monoacylglycerol Lipase (MAGL) Inhibitor. J Med Chem 2019; 62:1932-1958. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Carlotta Granchi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Margherita Lapillo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Sandra Glasmacher
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Bononi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Cristina Licari
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Giulio Poli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Maguie el Boustani
- Pathology Unit, Department of Molecular Biology and Translational Research, National Cancer Institute and Center for Molecular Biomedicine, 33081 Aviano, Pordenone, Italy
- Doctoral School in Molecular Biomedicine, University of Trieste, 34100 Trieste, Italy
| | - Isabella Caligiuri
- Pathology Unit, Department of Molecular Biology and Translational Research, National Cancer Institute and Center for Molecular Biomedicine, 33081 Aviano, Pordenone, Italy
| | - Flavio Rizzolio
- Pathology Unit, Department of Molecular Biology and Translational Research, National Cancer Institute and Center for Molecular Biomedicine, 33081 Aviano, Pordenone, Italy
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari University, 30123 Venezia, Italy
| | - Jürg Gertsch
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Marco Macchia
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Filippo Minutolo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Tiziano Tuccinardi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Andrea Chicca
- Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Bhuniya D, Kharul RK, Hajare A, Shaikh N, Bhosale S, Balwe S, Begum F, De S, Athavankar S, Joshi D, Madgula V, Joshi K, Raje AA, Meru AV, Magdum A, Mookhtiar KA, Barbhaiya R. Discovery and evaluation of novel FAAH inhibitors in neuropathic pain model. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2019; 29:238-243. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2018] [Revised: 11/20/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
|
20
|
Lafreniere J, Kelly M. Potential for endocannabinoid system modulation in ocular pain and inflammation: filling the gaps in current pharmacological options. Neuronal Signal 2018; 2:NS20170144. [PMID: 32714590 PMCID: PMC7373237 DOI: 10.1042/ns20170144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/19/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Challenges in the management of ocular pain are an underappreciated topic. Currently available therapeutics lack both efficacy and clear guidelines for their use, with many also possessing unacceptable side effects. Promising novel agents would offer analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and possibly neuroprotective actions; have favorable ocular safety profiles; and show potential in managing neuropathic pain. Growing evidence supports a link between the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and a range of physiological and disease processes, notably those involving inflammation and pain. Both preclinical and clinical data suggest analgesic and anti-inflammatory actions of cannabinoids and ECS-modifying drugs in chronic pain conditions, including those of neuropathic origin. This review will examine existing evidence for the anatomical and physiological basis of ocular pain, specifically, ocular surface disease and the development of chronic ocular pain. The mechanism of action, efficacy, and limitations of currently available treatments will be discussed, and current knowledge related to ECS-modulation of ocular pain and inflammatory disease will be summarized. A perspective will be provided on the future directions of ECS research in terms of developing cannabinoid therapeutics for ocular pain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Melanie E.M. Kelly
- Department of Pharmacology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Vučković S, Srebro D, Vujović KS, Vučetić Č, Prostran M. Cannabinoids and Pain: New Insights From Old Molecules. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:1259. [PMID: 30542280 PMCID: PMC6277878 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.01259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 169] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cannabis has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. The prohibition of cannabis in the middle of the 20th century has arrested cannabis research. In recent years there is a growing debate about the use of cannabis for medical purposes. The term ‘medical cannabis’ refers to physician-recommended use of the cannabis plant and its components, called cannabinoids, to treat disease or improve symptoms. Chronic pain is the most commonly cited reason for using medical cannabis. Cannabinoids act via cannabinoid receptors, but they also affect the activities of many other receptors, ion channels and enzymes. Preclinical studies in animals using both pharmacological and genetic approaches have increased our understanding of the mechanisms of cannabinoid-induced analgesia and provided therapeutical strategies for treating pain in humans. The mechanisms of the analgesic effect of cannabinoids include inhibition of the release of neurotransmitters and neuropeptides from presynaptic nerve endings, modulation of postsynaptic neuron excitability, activation of descending inhibitory pain pathways, and reduction of neural inflammation. Recent meta-analyses of clinical trials that have examined the use of medical cannabis in chronic pain present a moderate amount of evidence that cannabis/cannabinoids exhibit analgesic activity, especially in neuropathic pain. The main limitations of these studies are short treatment duration, small numbers of patients, heterogeneous patient populations, examination of different cannabinoids, different doses, the use of different efficacy endpoints, as well as modest observable effects. Adverse effects in the short-term medical use of cannabis are generally mild to moderate, well tolerated and transient. However, there are scant data regarding the long-term safety of medical cannabis use. Larger well-designed studies of longer duration are mandatory to determine the long-term efficacy and long-term safety of cannabis/cannabinoids and to provide definitive answers to physicians and patients regarding the risk and benefits of its use in the treatment of pain. In conclusion, the evidence from current research supports the use of medical cannabis in the treatment of chronic pain in adults. Careful follow-up and monitoring of patients using cannabis/cannabinoids are mandatory.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Vučković
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Dragana Srebro
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Katarina Savić Vujović
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Čedomir Vučetić
- Clinic of Orthopaedic Surgery and Traumatology, Clinical Center of Serbia, Belgrade, Serbia.,Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milica Prostran
- Department of Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Kodani SD, Wan D, Wagner KM, Hwang SH, Morisseau C, Hammock BD. Design and Potency of Dual Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase/Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Inhibitors. ACS OMEGA 2018; 3:14076-14086. [PMID: 30411058 PMCID: PMC6210075 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.8b01625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is responsible for regulating concentrations of the endocannabinoid arachidonoyl ethanolamide. Multiple FAAH inhibitors have been developed for clinical trials and have failed to demonstrate efficacy at treating pain, despite promising preclinical data. One approach toward increasing the efficacy of FAAH inhibitors is to concurrently inhibit other targets responsible for regulating pain. Here, we designed dual inhibitors targeting the enzymes FAAH and soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH), which are targets previously shown to synergize at reducing inflammatory and neuropathic pain. Exploration of the sEH/FAAH inhibitor structure-activity relationship started with PF-750, a FAAH inhibitor (IC50 = 19 nM) that weakly inhibited sEH (IC50 = 640 nM). Potency was optimized resulting in an inhibitor with improved potency on both targets (11, sEH IC50 = 5 nM, FAAH IC50 = 8 nM). This inhibitor demonstrated good target selectivity, pharmacokinetic properties (AUC = 1200 h nM, t 1/2 = 4.9 h in mice), and in vivo target engagement.
Collapse
|
23
|
Aghazadeh Tabrizi M, Baraldi PG, Baraldi S, Ruggiero E, De Stefano L, Rizzolio F, Di Cesare Mannelli L, Ghelardini C, Chicca A, Lapillo M, Gertsch J, Manera C, Macchia M, Martinelli A, Granchi C, Minutolo F, Tuccinardi T. Discovery of 1,5-Diphenylpyrazole-3-Carboxamide Derivatives as Potent, Reversible, and Selective Monoacylglycerol Lipase (MAGL) Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2018; 61:1340-1354. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Pier Giovanni Baraldi
- Department
of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Stefania Baraldi
- Department
of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Emanuela Ruggiero
- Department
of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Ferrara, 44121 Ferrara, Italy
| | - Lucia De Stefano
- Graduate
School in Chemistry, University of Trieste, 34127 Trieste, Italy
- Division
of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Molecular
Biology and Translational Research, National Cancer Institute and Center for Molecular Biomedicine, 33081 Aviano, Pordenone, Italy
| | - Flavio Rizzolio
- Division
of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Molecular
Biology and Translational Research, National Cancer Institute and Center for Molecular Biomedicine, 33081 Aviano, Pordenone, Italy
- Department
of Molecular Science and Nanosystems, Ca’ Foscari Università di Venezia, 30172 Venezia-Mestre, Italy
| | - Lorenzo Di Cesare Mannelli
- Department
of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Firenze, 50139 Firenze, Italy
| | - Carla Ghelardini
- Department
of Neuroscience, Psychology, Drug Research and Child Health, Section
of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Firenze, 50139 Firenze, Italy
| | - Andrea Chicca
- Institute
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Margherita Lapillo
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Institute
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | - Jürg Gertsch
- Institute
of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, NCCR TransCure, University of Bern, CH-3012 Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Marco Macchia
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | | | | | | | - Tiziano Tuccinardi
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
- Sbarro
Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology,
College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19122, United States
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Jee Kim M, Tanioka M, Woo Um S, Hong SK, Hwan Lee B. Analgesic effects of FAAH inhibitor in the insular cortex of nerve-injured rats. Mol Pain 2018; 14:1744806918814345. [PMID: 30380982 PMCID: PMC6247483 DOI: 10.1177/1744806918814345] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The insular cortex is an important region of brain involved in the processing of pain and emotion. Recent studies indicate that lesions in the insular cortex induce pain asymbolia and reverse neuropathic pain. Endogenous cannabinoids (endocannabinoids), which have been shown to attenuate pain, are simultaneously degraded by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) that halts the mechanisms of action. Selective inhibitor URB597 suppresses FAAH activity by conserving endocannabinoids, which reduces pain. The present study examined the analgesic effects of URB597 treatment in the insular cortex of an animal model of neuropathic pain. Under pentobarbital anesthesia, male Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to nerve injury and cannula implantation. On postoperative day 14, rodents received microinjection of URB597 into the insular cortex. In order to verify the analgesic mechanisms of URB597, cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB1R) antagonist AM251, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR alpha) antagonist GW6471, and transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 (TRPV1) antagonist Iodoresiniferatoxin (I-RTX) were microinjected 15 min prior to URB597 injection. Changes in mechanical allodynia were measured using the von-Frey test. Expressions of CB1R, N-acyl phosphatidylethanolamine phospholipase D (NAPE-PLD), and TRPV1 significantly increased in the neuropathic pain group compared to the sham-operated control group. Mechanical threshold and expression of NAPE-PLD significantly increased in groups treated with 2 nM and 4 nM URB597 compared with the vehicle-injected group. Blockages of CB1R and PPAR alpha diminished the analgesic effects of URB597. Inhibition of TRPV1 did not effectively reduce the effects of URB597 but attenuated expression of NAPE-PLD compared with the URB597-injected group. In addition, optical imaging demonstrated that neuronal activity of the insular cortex was reduced following URB597 treatment. Our results suggest that microinjection of FAAH inhibitor into the insular cortex causes analgesic effects by decreasing neural excitability and increasing signals related to the endogenous cannabinoid pathway in the insular cortex.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Min Jee Kim
- Department of Physiology and Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Motomasa Tanioka
- Department of Physiology and Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Sun Woo Um
- Department of Physiology and Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong-Karp Hong
- Division of Bio and Health Sciences, Mokwon University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Bae Hwan Lee
- Department of Physiology and Brain Korea 21 PLUS Project for Medical Science, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Boger DL. The Difference a Single Atom Can Make: Synthesis and Design at the Chemistry-Biology Interface. J Org Chem 2017; 82:11961-11980. [PMID: 28945374 PMCID: PMC5712263 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.7b02088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2017] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
A Perspective of work in our laboratory on the examination of biologically active compounds, especially natural products, is presented. In the context of individual programs and along with a summary of our work, selected cases are presented that illustrate the impact single atom changes can have on the biological properties of the compounds. The examples were chosen to highlight single heavy atom changes that improve activity, rather than those that involve informative alterations that reduce or abolish activity. The examples were also chosen to illustrate that the impact of such single-atom changes can originate from steric, electronic, conformational, or H-bonding effects, from changes in functional reactivity, from fundamental intermolecular interactions with a biological target, from introduction of a new or altered functionalization site, or from features as simple as improvements in stability or physical properties. Nearly all the examples highlighted represent not only unusual instances of productive deep-seated natural product modifications and were introduced through total synthesis but are also remarkable in that they are derived from only a single heavy atom change in the structure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dale L. Boger
- Department of Chemistry and
The Skaggs Research Institute, The Scripps
Research Institute, 10550
North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Watabiki T, Tsuji N, Kiso T, Ozawa T, Narazaki F, Kakimoto S. In vitro and in vivo pharmacological characterization of ASP8477: A novel highly selective fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor. Eur J Pharmacol 2017; 815:42-48. [PMID: 29017758 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2017.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2017] [Revised: 09/03/2017] [Accepted: 10/04/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Although exogenous agonists for cannabinoid (CB) receptors are clinically effective for treating chronic pain, global activation of brain CB receptors causes frequent central nervous system (CNS) side-effects. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is a primary catabolic enzyme for anandamide (AEA), an endogenous CB. Recently, we discovered a novel FAAH inhibitor, 3-pyridyl 4-(phenylcarbamoyl)piperidine-1-carboxylate (ASP8477). In vitro studies demonstrated that ASP8477 inhibited human FAAH-1, FAAH-1 (P129T) and FAAH-2 activity with IC50 values of 3.99, 1.65 and 57.3nM, respectively. ASP8477 at 10µM had no appreciable interactions with 65 different kinds of receptors, ion channels, transporters and enzymes, including CB1 and CB2 receptors and monoacylglycerol lipase. In adolescent rats, orally administered ASP8477 (0.3-10mg/kg) elevated AEA concentrations in both plasma and brain. In a capsaicin-induced secondary hyperalgesia model, a pretreatment with ASP8477 significantly improved mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia at 0.3-3mg/kg p.o. ASP8477 also significantly improved mechanical allodynia in an L5/L6 spinal nerve ligation neuropathic pain model, with an ED50 value of 0.63mg/kg, and in a streptozotocin-induced diabetic neuropathy model at 3 and 10mg/kg p.o. Furthermore, ASP8477 significantly attenuated the reduction in rearing events at 1 and 3mg/kg p.o. in a monoiodoacetic acid-induced osteoarthritis model. Importantly, ASP8477 had no significant effect on motor coordination up to 30mg/kg p.o. These results indicate that ASP8477 is a potent, selective, and oral active FAAH inhibitor with activity in the CNS, with the potential to be a new analgesic agent with a wide safety margin.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomonari Watabiki
- Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Drug Discovery Research, Astellas Pharma Inc., 21 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan.
| | - Noriko Tsuji
- Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Drug Discovery Research, Astellas Pharma Inc., 21 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
| | - Tetsuo Kiso
- Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Drug Discovery Research, Astellas Pharma Inc., 21 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
| | - Tohru Ozawa
- Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Drug Discovery Research, Astellas Pharma Inc., 21 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
| | - Fumie Narazaki
- Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Drug Discovery Research, Astellas Pharma Inc., 21 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
| | - Shuichiro Kakimoto
- Pharmacology Research Laboratories, Drug Discovery Research, Astellas Pharma Inc., 21 Miyukigaoka, Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki 305-8585, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Thomas BF. Interactions of Cannabinoids With Biochemical Substrates. SUBSTANCE ABUSE-RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2017; 11:1178221817711418. [PMID: 28607542 PMCID: PMC5457144 DOI: 10.1177/1178221817711418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2017] [Accepted: 02/13/2017] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Recent decades have seen much progress in the identification and characterization of cannabinoid receptors and the elucidation of the mechanisms by which derivatives of the Cannabis sativa plant bind to receptors and produce their physiological and psychological effects. The information generated in this process has enabled better understanding of the fundamental physiological and psychological processes controlled by the central and peripheral nervous systems and has fostered the development of natural and synthetic cannabinoids as therapeutic agents. A negative aspect of this decades-long effort is the proliferation of clandestinely synthesized analogs as recreational street drugs with dangerous effects. Currently, the interactions of cannabinoids with their biochemical substrates are extensively but inadequately understood, and the clinical application of derived and synthetic receptor ligands remains quite limited. The wide anatomical distribution and functional complexity of the cannabinoid system continue to indicate potential for both therapeutic and side effects, which offers challenges and opportunities for medicinal chemists involved in drug discovery and development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brian F Thomas
- Analytical Chemistry and Pharmaceutics, RTI International, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Kornahrens AF, Cognetta AB, Brody DM, Matthews ML, Cravatt BF, Boger DL. Design of Benzoxathiazin-3-one 1,1-Dioxides as a New Class of Irreversible Serine Hydrolase Inhibitors: Discovery of a Uniquely Selective PNPLA4 Inhibitor. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:7052-7061. [PMID: 28498651 PMCID: PMC5501285 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b02985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The design and examination of 4,1,2-benzoxathiazin-3-one 1,1-dioxides as candidate serine hydrolase inhibitors are disclosed, and represent the synthesis and study of a previously unexplored heterocycle. This new class of activated cyclic carbamates provided selective irreversible inhibition of a small subset of serine hydrolases without release of a leaving group, does not covalently modify active site catalytic cysteine and lysine residues of other enzyme classes, and was found to be amenable to predictable structural modifications that modulate intrinsic reactivity or active site recognition. Even more remarkable and within the small pilot series of candidate inhibitors examined in an initial study, an exquisitely selective inhibitor for a poorly characterized serine hydrolase (PNPLA4, patatin-like phospholipase domain-containing protein 4) involved in adipocyte triglyceride homeostasis was discovered.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Anne F. Kornahrens
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Armand B. Cognetta
- Department of Chemical Physiology and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Daniel M. Brody
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Megan L. Matthews
- Department of Chemical Physiology and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Benjamin F. Cravatt
- Department of Chemical Physiology and The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037
| | - Dale L. Boger
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 N. Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
A chemical genetic screen uncovers a small molecule enhancer of the N-acylethanolamine degrading enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase, in Arabidopsis. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41121. [PMID: 28112243 PMCID: PMC5253734 DOI: 10.1038/srep41121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
N-Acylethanolamines (NAEs) are a group of fatty acid amides that play signaling roles in diverse physiological processes in eukaryotes. Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) degrades NAE into ethanolamine and free fatty acid to terminate its signaling function. In animals, chemical inhibitors of FAAH have been used for therapeutic treatment of pain and as tools to probe deeper into biochemical properties of FAAH. In a chemical genetic screen for small molecules that dampened the inhibitory effect of N-lauroylethanolamine (NAE 12:0) on Arabidopsis thaliana seedling growth, we identified 6-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1,3-dimethyl-5-phenyl-1H-pyrrolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine-2,4(3 H,6 H)-dione (or MDPD). MDPD alleviated the growth inhibitory effects of NAE 12:0, in part by enhancing the enzymatic activity of Arabidopsis FAAH (AtFAAH). In vitro, biochemical assays showed that MDPD enhanced the apparent Vmax of AtFAAH but did not alter the affinity of AtFAAH for its NAE substrates. Structural analogs of MDPD did not affect AtFAAH activity or dampen the inhibitory effect of NAE 12:0 on seedling growth indicating that MDPD is a specific synthetic chemical activator of AtFAAH. Collectively, our study demonstrates the feasibility of using an unbiased chemical genetic approach to identify new pharmacological tools for manipulating FAAH- and NAE-mediated physiological processes in plants.
Collapse
|
30
|
Qiu Y, Ren J, Ke H, Zhang Y, Gao Q, Yang L, Lu C, Li Y. Design and synthesis of uracil urea derivatives as potent and selective fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c7ra02237a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is one of the key enzymes involved in the biological degradation of endocannabinoids, especially anandamide.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yan Qiu
- Medical College
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
| | - Jie Ren
- Medical College
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
| | - Hongwei Ke
- Xiamen Institute of Rare-earth Materials
- Haixi Institutes
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- P. R. China
- College of Ocean and Earth Science
| | - Yang Zhang
- Medical College
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
| | - Qi Gao
- Medical College
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
| | - Longhe Yang
- Engineering Research Centre of Marine Biological Resource Comprehensive Utilization
- Third Institute of Oceanography
- State Oceanic Administration
- Xiamen 361102
- P. R. China
| | - Canzhong Lu
- Xiamen Institute of Rare-earth Materials
- Haixi Institutes
- Chinese Academy of Sciences
- P. R. China
| | - Yuhang Li
- Medical College
- Xiamen University
- Xiamen
- P. R. China
- Xiamen Institute of Rare-earth Materials
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Lipases and their inhibitors in health and disease. Chem Biol Interact 2016; 259:211-222. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2016.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Revised: 03/04/2016] [Accepted: 04/04/2016] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
|
32
|
Strelow JM. A Perspective on the Kinetics of Covalent and Irreversible Inhibition. SLAS DISCOVERY 2016; 22:3-20. [PMID: 27703080 DOI: 10.1177/1087057116671509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 186] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The clinical and commercial success of covalent drugs has prompted a renewed and more deliberate pursuit of covalent and irreversible mechanisms within drug discovery. A covalent mechanism can produce potent inhibition in a biochemical, cellular, or in vivo setting. In many cases, teams choose to focus on the consequences of the covalent event, defined by an IC50 value. In a biochemical assay, the IC50 may simply reflect the target protein concentration in the assay. What has received less attention is the importance of the rate of covalent modification, defined by kinact/KI. The kinact/KI is a rate constant describing the efficiency of covalent bond formation resulting from the potency (KI) of the first reversible binding event and the maximum potential rate (kinact) of inactivation. In this perspective, it is proposed that the kinact/KI should be employed as a critical parameter to identify covalent inhibitors, interpret structure-activity relationships (SARs), translate activity from biochemical assays to the cell, and more accurately define selectivity. It is also proposed that a physiologically relevant kinact/KI and an (unbound) AUC generated from a pharmacokinetic profile reflecting direct exposure of the inhibitor to the target protein are two critical determinants of in vivo covalent occupancy. A simple equation is presented to define this relationship and improve the interpretation of covalent and irreversible kinetics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John M Strelow
- 1 Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Lilly Corporate Center, Indianapolis, IN, USA
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Pain modulation from the brain during diabetic neuropathy: Uncovering the role of the rostroventromedial medulla. Neurobiol Dis 2016; 96:346-356. [PMID: 27717882 DOI: 10.1016/j.nbd.2016.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2016] [Revised: 09/06/2016] [Accepted: 10/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetic neuropathy has a profound impact in the quality of life of patients who frequently complain of pain. The mechanisms underlying diabetic neuropathic pain (DNP) are no longer ascribed only to damage of peripheral nerves. The effects of diabetes at the central nervous system are currently considered causes of DPN. Management of DNP may be achieved by antidepressants that act on serotonin (5-HT) uptake, namely specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors. The rostroventromedial medulla (RVM) is a key pain control center involved in descending pain modulation at the spinal cord through local release of 5-HT and plays a peculiar role in the balance of bidirectional control (i.e. inhibitory and facilitatory) from the brain to the spinal cord. This review discusses recently uncovered neurobiological mechanisms that mediate nociceptive modulation from the RVM during diabetes installation. In early phases of the disease, facilitation of pain modulation from the RVM prevails through a triplet of mechanisms which include increase in serotonin expression at the RVM and consequent rise of serotonin levels at the spinal cord and upregulation of local facilitatory 5HT3 receptors, enhancement of spontaneous activity of facilitatory RVM neurons and up-regulation of the expression of transient receptor potential vanilloid type 1 (TRPV1) receptor. With the progression of diabetes the alterations in the RVM increase dramatically, with oxidative stress and neuronal death associated to microglia-mediated inflammation. In a manner similar to other central areas, like the thalamus, the RVM is likely to be a "pain generator/amplifier" during diabetes, accounting to increase DNP. Early interventions in DNP prevention using strategies that simultaneously tackle the exacerbation of 5-HT3 spinal receptors and of microglial RVM activity, namely those that increase the levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines, should be considered in the future of DNP treatment.
Collapse
|
34
|
FAAH inhibitors in the limelight, but regrettably. Int J Clin Pharmacol Ther 2016; 54:498-501. [PMID: 27191771 PMCID: PMC4941643 DOI: 10.5414/cp202687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract. This short review focuses on the recent drug development of FAAH inhibitors, as recent serious adverse events have been reported in a phase I study with a compound of this class. The authors overview the potential interest in targeting FAAH inhibition, the current programs, and the available information on the recent dramatic events.
Collapse
|
35
|
Malek N, Starowicz K. Dual-Acting Compounds Targeting Endocannabinoid and Endovanilloid Systems-A Novel Treatment Option for Chronic Pain Management. Front Pharmacol 2016; 7:257. [PMID: 27582708 PMCID: PMC4987369 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2016.00257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2016] [Accepted: 08/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Compared with acute pain that arises suddenly in response to a specific injury and is usually treatable, chronic pain persists over time, and is often resistant to medical treatment. Because of the heterogeneity of chronic pain origins, satisfactory therapies for its treatment are lacking, leading to an urgent need for the development of new treatments. The leading approach in drug design is selective compounds, though they are often less effective and require chronic dosing with many side effects. Herein, we review novel approaches to drug design for the treatment of chronic pain represented by dual-acting compounds, which operate at more than one biological target. A number of studies suggest the involvement of the cannabinoid and vanilloid receptors in pain. Interestingly cannabinoid system is in interrelation with other systems that comprise lipid mediators: prostaglandins, produced by COX enzyme. Therefore, in the present review, we summarize the role of dual-acting molecules (FAAH/TRPV1 and FAAH/COX-2 inhibitors) that interact with endocannabinoid and endovanillinoid systems and act as analgesics by elevating the endogenously produced endocannabinoids and dampening the production of pro-inflammatory prostaglandins. The plasticity of the endocannabinoid system (ECS) and the ability of a single chemical entity to exert an activity on two receptor systems has been developed and extensively investigated. Here, we review up-to-date pharmacological studies on compounds interacting with FAAH enzyme together with TRPV1 receptor or COX-2 enzyme respectively. Multi-target pharmacological intervention for treating pain may lead to the development of original and efficient treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Malek
- Laboratory of Pain Pathophysiology, Department of Pain Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences Krakow, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Starowicz
- Laboratory of Pain Pathophysiology, Department of Pain Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences Krakow, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Yuan Y, Wang F, Tang W, Ding Z, Wang L, Liang L, Zheng Z, Zhang H, Liang G. Intracellular Self-Assembly of Cyclic d-Luciferin Nanoparticles for Persistent Bioluminescence Imaging of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase. ACS NANO 2016; 10:7147-7153. [PMID: 27348334 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.6b03412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) overexpression induces several disorder symptoms in nerve systems, and therefore long-term tracing of FAAH activity in vivo is of high importance but remains challenging. Current bioluminescence (BL) methods are limited in detecting FAAH activity within 5 h. Herein, by rational design of a latent BL probe (d-Cys-Lys-CBT)2 (1), we developed a "smart" method of intracellular reduction-controlled self-assembly and FAAH-directed disassembly of its cyclic d-luciferin-based nanoparticles (i.e., 1-NPs) for persistent BL imaging of FAAH activity in vitro, in cells, and in vivo. Using aminoluciferin methyl amide (AMA), Lys-amino-d-luciferin (Lys-Luc), and amino-d-luciferin (NH2-Luc) as control BL probes, we validated that the persistent BL of 1 from luciferase-expressing cells or tumors was controlled by the activity of intracellular FAAH. With the property of long-term tracing of FAAH activity in vivo of 1, we envision that our BL precursor 1 could probably be applied for in vivo screening of FAAH inhibitors and the diagnosis of their related diseases (or disorders) in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yue Yuan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei Science Center CAS, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China , 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Fuqiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Analysis Center, Nanjing Medical University , Nanjing, Jiangsu 210093, China
| | - Wei Tang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei Science Center CAS, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China , 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Zhanling Ding
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei Science Center CAS, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China , 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Lin Wang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Lili Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei Science Center CAS, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China , 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Zhen Zheng
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei Science Center CAS, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China , 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| | - Huafeng Zhang
- School of Life Sciences, University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei, Anhui 230027, China
| | - Gaolin Liang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Soft Matter Chemistry, Hefei Science Center CAS, Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China , 96 Jinzhai Road, Hefei, Anhui 230026, China
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Ramesh D, Schlosburg JE, Wiebelhaus JM, Lichtman AH. Marijuana dependence: not just smoke and mirrors. ILAR J 2016; 52:295-308. [PMID: 23382144 DOI: 10.1093/ilar.52.3.295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Marijuana (Cannabis sativa) is the most commonly used illicit drug worldwide as well as in the Unites States. Prolonged use of marijuana or repeated administration of its primary psychoactive constituent, Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), can lead to physical dependence in humans and laboratory animals. The changes that occur with repeated cannabis use include alterations in behavioral, physiological, and biochemical responses. A variety of withdrawal responses occur in cannabis-dependent individuals: anger, aggression, irritability, anxiety and nervousness, decreased appetite or weight loss, restlessness, and sleep difficulties with strange dreams. But the long half-life and other pharmacokinetic properties of THC result in delayed expression of withdrawal symptoms, and because of the lack of contiguity between drug cessation and withdrawal responses the latter are not readily recognized as a clinically relevant syndrome. Over the past 30 years, a substantial body of clinical and laboratory animal research has emerged supporting the assertion that chronic exposure to cannabinoids produces physical dependence and may contribute to drug maintenance in cannabis-dependent individuals. However, no medications are approved to treat cannabis dependence and withdrawal. In this review, we describe preclinical and clinical research that supports the existence of a cannabinoid withdrawal syndrome. In addition, we review research evaluating potential pharmacotherapies (e.g., THC, a variety of antidepressant drugs, and lithium) to reduce cannabis withdrawal responses and examine how expanded knowledge about the regulatory mechanisms in the endocannabinoid system may lead to promising new therapeutic targets.
Collapse
|
38
|
Iannotti FA, Di Marzo V, Petrosino S. Endocannabinoids and endocannabinoid-related mediators: Targets, metabolism and role in neurological disorders. Prog Lipid Res 2016; 62:107-28. [DOI: 10.1016/j.plipres.2016.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 235] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2015] [Revised: 01/25/2016] [Accepted: 02/26/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
|
39
|
Silva M, Martins D, Charrua A, Piscitelli F, Tavares I, Morgado C, Di Marzo V. Endovanilloid control of pain modulation by the rostroventromedial medulla in an animal model of diabetic neuropathy. Neuropharmacology 2016; 107:49-57. [PMID: 26965218 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2016.03.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2015] [Revised: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 03/02/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
The involvement of transient receptor vanilloid type-1 (TRPV1) channels in pain modulation by the brain remains understudied. The rostroventromedial medulla (RVM) plays a key role in conveying to the spinal cord pain modulatory influences triggered in higher brain centres, with co-existence of inhibitory (antinociceptive) and facilitatory (pronociceptive) effects. In spite of some reports of TRPV1 expression in the RVM, it remains unknown if endovanilloid signalling plays a direct role in local pain modulation. Here we used a model of diabetic neuropathy, the streptozotocin (STZ)-diabetic rat, to study the role of endovanilloid signalling in RVM-mediated pain modulation during chronic pain. Four weeks after diabetes induction, the levels of TRPV1 mRNA and fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), a crucial enzyme for endovanilloid catabolism, in the RVM of STZ-diabetic rats were higher than control. The RVM of STZ-diabetic rats presented decreased levels of several TRPV1 endogenous ligands, namely anandamide (AEA), palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and oleoylethanolamide (OEA). Administration of capsaicin (a TRPV1 agonist) into the RVM decreased nociceptive behavioural responses in the inflammatory phase of the formalin test (phase 2). These findings suggest that diabetic neuropathy induces plastic changes of RVM endovanilloid signalling, indicating that TRPV1 may be a putative target for pain modulation in this chronic pain condition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Silva
- Departamento de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; I3S - Instituto de Inovação e investigação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - D Martins
- Departamento de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; I3S - Instituto de Inovação e investigação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - A Charrua
- I3S - Instituto de Inovação e investigação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; Departmento de Doenças Renais, Urológicas e Infecciosas, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - F Piscitelli
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry of the National Research Council (ICB-CNR), Naples, Italy
| | - I Tavares
- Departamento de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; I3S - Instituto de Inovação e investigação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
| | - C Morgado
- Departamento de Biologia Experimental, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; I3S - Instituto de Inovação e investigação em Saúde, Universidade do Porto, Portugal
| | - V Di Marzo
- Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry of the National Research Council (ICB-CNR), Naples, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Aghazadeh Tabrizi M, Baraldi PG, Borea PA, Varani K. Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology, and Potential Therapeutic Benefits of Cannabinoid CB2 Receptor Agonists. Chem Rev 2016; 116:519-60. [PMID: 26741146 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Mojgan Aghazadeh Tabrizi
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Medical Science, Pharmacology Section, University of Ferrara , Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Pier Giovanni Baraldi
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Medical Science, Pharmacology Section, University of Ferrara , Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Pier Andrea Borea
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Medical Science, Pharmacology Section, University of Ferrara , Ferrara 44121, Italy
| | - Katia Varani
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and ‡Department of Medical Science, Pharmacology Section, University of Ferrara , Ferrara 44121, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Keith JM, Jones WM, Tichenor M, Liu J, Seierstad M, Palmer JA, Webb M, Karbarz M, Scott BP, Wilson S, Luo L, Wennerholm ML, Chang L, Rizzolio M, Rynberg R, Chaplan SR, Breitenbucher JG. Preclinical Characterization of the FAAH Inhibitor JNJ-42165279. ACS Med Chem Lett 2015; 6:1204-8. [PMID: 26713105 PMCID: PMC4677372 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.5b00353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The pre-clinical characterization of the aryl piperazinyl urea inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) JNJ-42165279 is described. JNJ-42165279 covalently inactivates the FAAH enzyme, but is highly selective with regard to other enzymes, ion channels, transporters, and receptors. JNJ-42165279 exhibited excellent ADME and pharmacodynamic properties as evidenced by its ability to block FAAH in the brain and periphery of rats and thereby cause an elevation of the concentrations of anandamide (AEA), oleoyl ethanolamide (OEA), and palmitoyl ethanolamide (PEA). The compound was also efficacious in the spinal nerve ligation (SNL) model of neuropathic pain. The combination of good physical, ADME, and PD properties of JNJ-42165279 supported it entering the clinical portfolio.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- John M. Keith
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - William M. Jones
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Mark Tichenor
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Jing Liu
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Mark Seierstad
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - James A. Palmer
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Michael Webb
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Mark Karbarz
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Brian P. Scott
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Sandy
J. Wilson
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Lin Luo
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Michelle L. Wennerholm
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Leon Chang
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Michele Rizzolio
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Raymond Rynberg
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Sandra R. Chaplan
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - J. Guy Breitenbucher
- Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies
of Johnson & Johnson, L.L.C., 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
A Cannabinoid CB1 Receptor-Positive Allosteric Modulator Reduces Neuropathic Pain in the Mouse with No Psychoactive Effects. Neuropsychopharmacology 2015; 40:2948-59. [PMID: 26052038 PMCID: PMC4864630 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2015.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2015] [Revised: 05/19/2015] [Accepted: 05/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The CB1 receptor represents a promising target for the treatment of several disorders including pain-related disease states. However, therapeutic applications of Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol and other CB1 orthosteric receptor agonists remain limited because of psychoactive side effects. Positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) offer an alternative approach to enhance CB1 receptor function for therapeutic gain with the promise of reduced side effects. Here we describe the development of the novel synthetic CB1 PAM, 6-methyl-3-(2-nitro-1-(thiophen-2-yl)ethyl)-2-phenyl-1H-indole (ZCZ011), which augments the in vitro and in vivo pharmacological actions of the CB1 orthosteric agonists CP55,940 and N-arachidonoylethanolamine (AEA). ZCZ011 potentiated binding of [(3)H]CP55,940 to the CB1 receptor as well as enhancing AEA-stimulated [(35)S]GTPγS binding in mouse brain membranes and β-arrestin recruitment and ERK phosphorylation in hCB1 cells. In the whole animal, ZCZ011 is brain penetrant, increased the potency of these orthosteric agonists in mouse behavioral assays indicative of cannabimimetic activity, including antinociception, hypothermia, catalepsy, locomotor activity, and in the drug discrimination paradigm. Administration of ZCZ011 alone was devoid of activity in these assays and did not produce a conditioned place preference or aversion, but elicited CB1 receptor-mediated antinociceptive effects in the chronic constriction nerve injury model of neuropathic pain and carrageenan model of inflammatory pain. These data suggest that ZCZ011 acts as a CB1 PAM and provide the first proof of principle that CB1 PAMs offer a promising strategy to treat neuropathic and inflammatory pain with minimal or no cannabimimetic side effects.
Collapse
|
43
|
Lodola A, Castelli R, Mor M, Rivara S. Fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitors: a patent review (2009-2014). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2015; 25:1247-66. [PMID: 26413912 DOI: 10.1517/13543776.2015.1067683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) is a key enzyme responsible for the degradation of the endocannabinoid anandamide. FAAH inactivation is emerging as a strategy to treat several CNS and peripheral diseases, including inflammation and pain. The search for effective FAAH inhibitors has thus become a key focus in present drug discovery. AREAS COVERED Patents and patent applications published from 2009 to 2014 in which novel chemical classes are claimed to inhibit FAAH. EXPERT OPINION FAAH is a promising target for treating many disease conditions including pain, inflammation and mood disorders. In the last few years, remarkable efforts have been made to develop new FAAH inhibitors (either reversible and irreversible) characterized by excellent potency and selectivity, to complete the arsenal of tools for modulating FAAH activity. The failure of PF-04457845 in a Phase II study on osteoarthritis pain has not flattened the interest in FAAH inhibitors. New clinical trials on 'classical' FAAH inhibitors are now ongoing, and new strategies based on compounds with peculiar in vivo distribution (e.g., peripheral) or with multiple pharmacological activities (e.g., FAAH and COX) are under investigation and could boost the therapeutic potential of this class in the next future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Lodola
- a 1 Università degli Studi di Parma, Dipartimento di Farmacia , Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, Parma, Italy
| | - Riccardo Castelli
- b 2 Università degli Studi di Parma, Dipartimento di Farmacia , Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, Parma, Italy
| | - Marco Mor
- c 3 Università degli Studi di Parma, Dipartimento di Farmacia , Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, Parma, Italy +39 0521 905059 ; +39 0521 905006 ;
| | - Silvia Rivara
- a 1 Università degli Studi di Parma, Dipartimento di Farmacia , Parco Area delle Scienze 27/A, Parma, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Marco EM, Rapino C, Caprioli A, Borsini F, Laviola G, Maccarrone M. Potential Therapeutic Value of a Novel FAAH Inhibitor for the Treatment of Anxiety. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0137034. [PMID: 26360704 PMCID: PMC4567375 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0137034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2015] [Accepted: 08/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric diseases with high personal costs and a remarkable socio-economic burden. However, current treatment of anxiety is far from satisfactory. Novel pharmacological targets have emerged in the recent years, and attention has focused on the endocannabinoid (eCB) system, given the increasing evidence that supports its central role in emotion, coping with stress and anxiety. In the management of anxiety disorders, drug development strategies have left apart the direct activation of type-1 cannabinoid receptors to indirectly enhance eCB signalling through the inhibition of eCB deactivation, that is, the inhibition of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) enzyme. In the present study, we provide evidence for the anxiolytic-like properties of a novel, potent and selective reversible inhibitor of FAAH, ST4070, orally administered to rodents. ST4070 (3 to 30 mg/kg per os) administered to CD1 male mice induced an increase of time spent in the exploration of the open arms of the elevated-plus maze. A partial reduction of anxiety-related behaviour by ST4070 was also obtained in Wistar male rats, which moderately intensified the time spent in the illuminated compartment of the light-dark box. ST4070 clearly inhibited FAAH activity and augmented the levels of two of its substrates, N-arachidonoylethanolamine (anandamide) and N-palmitoylethanolamine, in anxiety-relevant brain regions. Altogether, ST4070 offers a promising anxiolytic-like profile in preclinical studies, although further studies are warranted to clearly demonstrate its efficacy in the clinic management of anxiety disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Eva M. Marco
- Section of Behavioural Neuroscience, Dept. Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Cinzia Rapino
- Dept. Biomedical Sciences, Università degli Studi di Teramo, Teramo, Italy
| | | | | | - Giovanni Laviola
- Section of Behavioural Neuroscience, Dept. Cell Biology and Neurosciences, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail: (GL); (MM)
| | - Mauro Maccarrone
- School of Medicine, Campus Bio-Medico University of Rome, Rome, Italy
- Centro Europeo di Ricerca sul Cervello (CERC)/IRCCS Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
- * E-mail: (GL); (MM)
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Tai S, Nikas SP, Shukla VG, Vemuri K, Makriyannis A, Järbe TU. Cannabinoid withdrawal in mice: inverse agonist vs neutral antagonist. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:2751-61. [PMID: 25772338 PMCID: PMC4504748 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-015-3907-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2014] [Accepted: 02/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Previous reports shows rimonabant's inverse properties may be a limiting factor for treating cannabinoid dependence. To overcome this limitation, neutral antagonists were developed, to address mechanisms by which an inverse agonist and neutral antagonist elicit withdrawal. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study is to introduce an animal model to study cannabinoid dependence by incorporating traditional methodologies and profiling novel cannabinoid ligands with distinct pharmacological properties/modes of action by evaluating their pharmacological effects on CB1-receptor (CB1R) related physiological/behavioral endpoints. METHODS The cannabinergic AM2389 was acutely characterized in the tetrad (locomotor activity, analgesia, inverted screen/catalepsy bar test, and temperature), with some comparisons made to Δ(9)-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Tolerance was measured in mice repeatedly administered AM2389. Antagonist-precipitated withdrawal was characterized in cannabinoid-adapted mice induced by either centrally acting antagonists, rimonabant and AM4113, or an antagonist with limited brain penetration, AM6545. RESULTS In the tetrad, AM2389 was more potent and longer acting than THC, suggesting a novel approach for inducing dependence. Repeated administration of AM2389 led to tolerance by attenuating hypothermia that was induced by acute AM2389 administration. Antagonist-precipitated withdrawal signs were induced by rimonabant or AM4113, but not by AM6545. Antagonist-precipitated withdrawal was reversed by reinstating AM2389 or THC. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest cannabinoid-precipitated withdrawal may not be ascribed to the inverse properties of rimonabant, but rather to rapid competition with the agonist at the CB1R. This withdrawal syndrome is likely centrally mediated, since only the centrally acting CB1R antagonists elicited withdrawal, i.e., such responses were absent after the purported peripherally selective CB1R antagonist AM6545.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sherrica Tai
- Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, 02115-5000, USA,
| | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
46
|
Endocannabinoid Catabolic Enzymes Play Differential Roles in Thermal Homeostasis in Response to Environmental or Immune Challenge. J Neuroimmune Pharmacol 2015; 10:364-70. [PMID: 25715681 DOI: 10.1007/s11481-015-9593-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2014] [Accepted: 02/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
Cannabinoid receptor agonists, such as Δ(9)-THC, the primary active constituent of Cannabis sativa, have anti-pyrogenic effects in a variety of assays. Recently, attention has turned to the endogenous cannabinoid system and how endocannabinoids, including 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and anandamide, regulate multiple homeostatic processes, including thermoregulation. Inhibiting endocannabinoid catabolic enzymes, monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) or fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), elevates levels of 2-AG or anandamide in vivo, respectively. The purpose of this experiment was to test the hypothesis that endocannabinoid catabolic enzymes function to maintain thermal homeostasis in response to hypothermic challenge. In separate experiments, male C57BL/6J mice were administered a MAGL or FAAH inhibitor, and then challenged with the bacterial endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 2 mg/kg ip) or a cold (4 °C) ambient environment. Systemic LPS administration caused a significant decrease in core body temperature after 6 h, and this hypothermia persisted for at least 12 h. Similarly, cold environment induced mild hypothermia that resolved within 30 min. JZL184 exacerbated hypothermia induced by either LPS or cold challenge, both of which effects were blocked by rimonabant, but not SR144528, indicating a CB1 cannabinoid receptor mechanism of action. In contrast, the FAAH inhibitor, PF-3845, had no effect on either LPS-induced or cold-induced hypothermia. These data indicate that unlike direct acting cannabinoid receptor agonists, which elicit profound hypothermic responses on their own, neither MAGL nor FAAH inhibitors affect normal body temperature. However, these endocannabinoid catabolic enzymes play distinct roles in thermoregulation following hypothermic challenges.
Collapse
|
47
|
Corcoran L, Roche M, Finn DP. The Role of the Brain's Endocannabinoid System in Pain and Its Modulation by Stress. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2015; 125:203-55. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2015.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
48
|
The Potential of Inhibitors of Endocannabinoid Metabolism for Drug Development: A Critical Review. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2015; 231:95-128. [PMID: 26408159 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-20825-1_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The endocannabinoids anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol are metabolised by both hydrolytic enzymes (primarily fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL)) and oxygenating enzymes (e.g. cyclooxygenase-2, COX-2). In the present article, the in vivo data for compounds inhibiting endocannabinoid metabolism have been reviewed, focussing on inflammation and pain. Potential reasons for the failure of an FAAH inhibitor in a clinical trial in patients with osteoarthritic pain are discussed. It is concluded that there is a continued potential for compounds inhibiting endocannabinoid metabolism in terms of drug development, but that it is wise not to be unrealistic in terms of expectations of success.
Collapse
|
49
|
Ogawa S, Kunugi H. Inhibitors of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase and Monoacylglycerol Lipase: New Targets for Future Antidepressants. Curr Neuropharmacol 2015; 13:760-75. [PMID: 26630956 PMCID: PMC4759315 DOI: 10.2174/1570159x13666150612225212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2015] [Revised: 03/16/2015] [Accepted: 03/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cannabis and analogs of Δ<sup>9</sup>-tetrahydrocannabinol have been used for therapeutic purposes, but their therapeutic use remains limited because of various adverse effects. Endogenous cannabinoids have been discovered, and dysregulation of endocannabinoid signaling is implicated in the pathophysiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Recently, endocannabinoid hydrolytic enzymes such as fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) have become new therapeutic targets in the treatment of MDD. Several FAAH or MAGL inhibitors are reported to have no cannabimimetic side effects and, therefore, are new potential therapeutic options for patients with MDD who are resistant to first-line antidepressants (selective serotonin and serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors). In this review, we focus on the possible relationships between MDD and the endocannabinoid system as well as the inhibitors' therapeutic potential. MAGL inhibitors may reduce inflammatory responses through activation of cannabinoid receptor type 2. In the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, repeated FAAH inhibitor administration may be beneficial for reducing circulating glucocorticoid levels. Both FAAH and MAGL inhibitors may contribute to dopaminergic system regulation. Recently, several new inhibitors have been developed with strong potency and selectivity. FAAH inhibitor, MAGL inhibitor, or dual blocker use would be promising new treatments for MDD. Further pre-clinical studies and clinical trials using these inhibitors are warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Hiroshi Kunugi
- Department of Mental Disorder Research, National Institute of Neuroscience, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo, Japan.
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Inhibition of FAAH, TRPV1, and COX2 by NSAID-serotonin conjugates. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2014; 24:5695-5698. [PMID: 25467164 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2014.10.064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/22/2014] [Revised: 10/17/2014] [Accepted: 10/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Serotonin was linked by amidation to the carboxylic acid groups of a series of structurally diverse NSAIDs. The resulting NSAID-serotonin conjugates were tested in vitro for their ability to inhibit FAAH, TRPV1, and COX2. Ibuprofen-5-HT and Flurbiprofen-5-HT inhibited all three targets with approximately the same potency as N-arachidonoyl serotonin (AA-5-HT), while Fenoprofen-5-HT and Naproxen-5-HT showed activity as dual inhibitors of TRPV1 and COX2.
Collapse
|