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Yadav A, Dogra S, Boda AK, Kumari P, Kumar A, Dash MK, Yadav PN. Kappa Opioid Receptor Activation Induces Epigenetic Silencing of Brain-Derived Neurotropic Factor via HDAC5 in Depression. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024. [PMID: 39190549 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Treatment-resistant depression (TRD) occurs in almost 50% of the depressed patients. Central kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonism has been demonstrated to induce depression and anxiety, while KOR antagonism alleviates depression-like symptoms in rodent models and TRD in clinical studies. Previously, we have shown that sustained KOR activation leads to a TRD-like phenotype in mice, and modulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) appears to be one of the molecular determinants of the antidepressant response. In the present study, we observed that sustained KOR activation by a selective agonist, U50488, selectively reduced the levels of Bdnf transcripts II, IV, and Bdnf CDS (protein-coding Exon IX) in the PFC and cultured primary cortical neurons, which was blocked by selective KOR antagonist, norbinaltorphimine. Considering the crucial role of epigenetic pathways in BDNF expression, we further investigated the role of various epigenetic markers in KOR-induced BDNF downregulation in mice. We observed that treatment with U50488 resulted in selective and specific downregulation of acetylation at the ninth lysine residue of the histone H3 protein (H3K9ac) and upregulation of histone deacetylase 5 (HDAC5) expression in the PFC. Further, using anti-H3K9ac and anti-HDAC5 antibodies in the chromatin immune precipitation assay, we detected decreased enrichment of H3K9ac and increased HDAC5 binding at Bdnf II and IV transcripts after U50488 treatment, which were blocked by a selective KOR antagonist, norbinaltorphimine. Further mechanistic studies using HDAC5 selective inhibitor, LMK235, in primary cortical neurons and adeno-associated viral shRNA-mediated HDAC5-knockdown in the PFC of mice demonstrated an essential role of HDAC5 in KOR-mediated reduction of Bdnf expression in the PFC and in depression-like symptoms in mice. These results suggest that KOR engages multiple pathways to induce depression-like symptoms in mice and provide novel insights into the mechanisms by which activation of KOR regulates major depressive disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anubhav Yadav
- Divison of Neuroscience & Ageing Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Shalini Dogra
- Divison of Neuroscience & Ageing Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Arun Kumar Boda
- Divison of Neuroscience & Ageing Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Poonam Kumari
- Divison of Neuroscience & Ageing Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Ajeet Kumar
- Divison of Neuroscience & Ageing Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Manish K Dash
- Divison of Neuroscience & Ageing Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Prem N Yadav
- Divison of Neuroscience & Ageing Biology, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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Namchuk AB, Tsuda MC, Lucki I, Browne CA. Kappa opioid receptor mediated operant performance in male and female rats. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2024; 244:173847. [PMID: 39151827 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2024.173847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 08/03/2024] [Accepted: 08/08/2024] [Indexed: 08/19/2024]
Abstract
Anhedonia and avolition are emotions frequently endorsed by individuals with stress related disorders. Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) activation can induce negative emotions and recent clinical evidence suggests that KOR antagonism can alleviate anhedonia in a transdiagnostic cohort of patients. However, the behavioral consequences of KOR activation and antagonism in modulating motivation, as assessed by schedule-controlled behavioral performance without preexisting conditions (stress or substance use), have not been formally assessed. To address this gap in the literature, this report utilized male and female Sprague Dawley rats to (1) evaluate the impact of the selective KOR agonist U50,488, on the performance of animals responding for sucrose pellets under a progressive ratio (PR) schedule and (2) determine the effects of the short-acting KOR antagonist LY2444296 alone and on U50,488 mediated reductions in PR performance. Overall, U50,488 5 mg/kg significantly reduced the breakpoint and number of rewards obtained by animals. This occurred in the absence of motor impairment and independent of evidence for satiation. LY2444296 did not alter PR performance when administered alone but effectively blocked the deficits induced by U50,488. To further delineate the behavioral alterations that underlie these reductions in responding, a more detailed analysis was conducted on PR performance in the first 15 min of the session, the period of time when animals obtained the most reinforcers. During this period, U50,488 increased the length of the post-reinforcement pause and reduced the running rate on PR schedules. These changes in behavior produced by acute activation of KORs are consistent with a reduction of effort-related motivation in rodents. These data contribute to the understanding of how KORs modulate motivation, which is critical to future efforts to evaluate performance in the context of stress and assess how KOR antagonists alleviate anhedonic behaviors associated with stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda B Namchuk
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America
| | - Mumeko C Tsuda
- Preclinical Behavior & Modelling Core, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America
| | - Irwin Lucki
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America; Preclinical Behavior & Modelling Core, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America; Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America
| | - Caroline A Browne
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America.
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Gisemba SA, Ferracane MJ, Murray TF, Aldrich JV. A Bicyclic Analog of the Linear Peptide Arodyn Is a Potent and Selective Kappa Opioid Receptor Antagonist. Molecules 2024; 29:3109. [PMID: 38999061 PMCID: PMC11243530 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29133109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonists have potential therapeutic applications in the treatment of stress-induced relapse to substance abuse and mood disorders. The dynorphin A analog arodyn (Ac[Phe1,2,3,Arg4,D-Ala8]dynorphin A-(1-11)-NH2) exhibits potent and selective kappa opioid receptor antagonism. Multiple cyclizations in longer peptides, such as dynorphin and its analogs, can extend the conformational constraint to additional regions of the peptide beyond what is typically constrained by a single cyclization. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and pharmacological evaluation of a bicyclic arodyn analog with two constraints in the opioid peptide sequence. The peptide, designed based on structure-activity relationships of monocyclic arodyn analogs, was synthesized by solid-phase peptide synthesis and cyclized by sequential ring-closing metathesis (RCM) in the C- and N-terminal sequences. Molecular modeling studies suggest similar interactions of key aromatic and basic residues in the bicyclic peptide with KOR as found in the cryoEM structure of KOR-bound dynorphin, despite substantial differences in the backbone conformations of the two peptides. The bicyclic peptide's affinities at KOR and mu opioid receptors (MOR) were determined in radioligand binding assays, and its KOR antagonism was determined in the [35S]GTPγS assay in KOR-expressing cells. The bicyclic analog retains KOR affinity and selectivity (Ki = 26 nM, 97-fold selectivity over MOR) similar to arodyn and exhibits potent KOR antagonism in the dynorphin-stimulated [35S]GTPγS assay. This bicyclic peptide represents a promising advance in preparing cyclic opioid peptide ligands and opens avenues for the rational design of additional bicyclic opioid peptide analogs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solomon A Gisemba
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | | | - Thomas F Murray
- Department of Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE 68102, USA
| | - Jane V Aldrich
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
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Hampsey E, Jelen L, Young AH. Aticaprant: (a κ-opioid receptor antagonist) for major depressive disorder. Expert Opin Emerg Drugs 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38682267 DOI: 10.1080/14728214.2024.2345645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Major depression is a common, disabling mental health condition associated with the highest disease burden for any neuropsychiatric disorder worldwide, according to the WHO. Due to the imperfect efficacy and tolerability profiles of existing treatments, investigational compounds in novel treatment classes are needed. Opioid-receptor antagonists are a potential new class of treatments currently under investigation. AREAS COVERED Major depressive disorder is first overviewed. Existing treatments, both their mechanisms of action and their place within the antidepressant space, are discussed herein. Then, the profile of Aticaprant and the wider context of kappa-opioid antagonism for depression are discussed in focus. EXPERT OPINION Early evidence indicates that Aticaprant may possess desirable pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties. A lack of convincing efficacy data at the time of writing precludes any definitive statement on its potential as an antidepressant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elliot Hampsey
- Centre for Affective Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Luke Jelen
- Centre for Affective Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Allan H Young
- Centre for Affective Disorders, King's College London, London, UK
- South London & Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK
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Green M, Veltri CA, Grundmann O. Nalmefene Hydrochloride: Potential Implications for Treating Alcohol and Opioid Use Disorder. Subst Abuse Rehabil 2024; 15:43-57. [PMID: 38585160 PMCID: PMC10999209 DOI: 10.2147/sar.s431270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Nalmefene hydrochloride was first discovered as an opioid antagonist derivative of naltrexone in 1975. It is among the most potent opioid antagonists currently on the market and is differentiated from naloxone and naltrexone by its partial agonist activity at the kappa-opioid receptor which may benefit in the treatment of alcohol use disorder. Oral nalmefene has been approved in the European Union for treatment of alcohol use disorder since 2013. As of 2023, nalmefene is available in the United States as an intranasal spray for reversal of opioid overdose but is not approved for alcohol or opioid use disorder as a maintenance treatment. The substantially longer half-life of nalmefene and 5-fold higher binding affinity to opioid receptors makes it a superior agent over naloxone in the reversal of high potency synthetic opioids like fentanyl and the emerging nitazenes. Nalmefene presents with a comparable side effect profile to other opioid antagonists and should be considered for further development as a maintenance treatment for opioid and other substance use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- MeShell Green
- College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - Charles A Veltri
- College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
| | - Oliver Grundmann
- College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA
- College of Pharmacy, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA
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Chiang CC, Porreca F, Robertson CE, Dodick DW. Potential treatment targets for migraine: emerging options and future prospects. Lancet Neurol 2024; 23:313-324. [PMID: 38365382 DOI: 10.1016/s1474-4422(24)00003-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/18/2024]
Abstract
Migraine is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Despite the recent approval of several calcitonin gene-related peptide-targeted therapies, many people with migraine do not achieve satisfactory headache improvement with currently available therapies and there continues to be an unmet need for effective and tolerable migraine-specific treatments. Exploring additional targets that have compelling evidence for their involvement in modulating migraine pathways is therefore imperative. Potential new therapies for migraine include pathways involved in nociception, regulation of homoeostasis, modulation of vasodilation, and reward circuits. Animal and human studies show that these targets are expressed in regions of the CNS and peripheral nervous system that are involved in pain processing, indicating that these targets might be regarded as promising for the discovery of new migraine therapies. Future studies will require assessment of whether targets are suitable for therapeutic modulation, including assessment of specificity, affinity, solubility, stability, efficacy, and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Frank Porreca
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | | | - David W Dodick
- Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Atria Academy of Science and Medicine, New York, NY, USA
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Zhukovsky P, Ironside M, Duda JM, Moser AD, Null KE, Dhaynaut M, Normandin M, Guehl NJ, El Fakhri G, Alexander M, Holsen LM, Misra M, Narendran R, Hoye JM, Morris ED, Esfand SM, Goldstein JM, Pizzagalli DA. Acute Stress Increases Striatal Connectivity With Cortical Regions Enriched for μ and κ Opioid Receptors. Biol Psychiatry 2024:S0006-3223(24)00106-9. [PMID: 38395372 PMCID: PMC11339240 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2024.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 01/22/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Understanding the neurobiological effects of stress is critical for addressing the etiology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Using a dimensional approach involving individuals with differing degree of MDD risk, we investigated 1) the effects of acute stress on cortico-cortical and subcortical-cortical functional connectivity (FC) and 2) how such effects are related to gene expression and receptor maps. METHODS Across 115 participants (37 control, 39 remitted MDD, 39 current MDD), we evaluated the effects of stress on FC during the Montreal Imaging Stress Task. Using partial least squares regression, we investigated genes whose expression in the Allen Human Brain Atlas was associated with anatomical patterns of stress-related FC change. Finally, we correlated stress-related FC change maps with opioid and GABAA (gamma-aminobutyric acid A) receptor distribution maps derived from positron emission tomography. RESULTS Results revealed robust effects of stress on global cortical connectivity, with increased global FC in frontoparietal and attentional networks and decreased global FC in the medial default mode network. Moreover, robust increases emerged in FC of the caudate, putamen, and amygdala with regions from the ventral attention/salience network, frontoparietal network, and motor networks. Such regions showed preferential expression of genes involved in cell-to-cell signaling (OPRM1, OPRK1, SST, GABRA3, GABRA5), similar to previous genetic MDD studies. CONCLUSIONS Acute stress altered global cortical connectivity and increased striatal connectivity with cortical regions that express genes that have previously been associated with imaging abnormalities in MDD and are rich in μ and κ opioid receptors. These findings point to overlapping circuitry underlying stress response, reward, and MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Zhukovsky
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Maria Ironside
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Laureate Institute for Brain Research, The University of Tulsa, Tulsa, Oklahoma
| | - Jessica M Duda
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Amelia D Moser
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder, Colorado
| | - Kaylee E Null
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
| | - Maeva Dhaynaut
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Marc Normandin
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Nicolas J Guehl
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Georges El Fakhri
- Gordon Center for Medical Imaging, Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Madeline Alexander
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Laura M Holsen
- Division of Women's Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory of Sex Differences in the Brain, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Madhusmita Misra
- Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Rajesh Narendran
- Department of Radiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| | - Jocelyn M Hoye
- Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Evan D Morris
- Yale Positron Emission Tomography Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut; Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Department of Psychiatry, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut
| | - Shiba M Esfand
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Jill M Goldstein
- Department of Psychology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut; Division of Women's Health, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; Innovation Center on Sex Differences in Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Massachusetts General Hospital Research Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Clinical Neuroscience Laboratory of Sex Differences in the Brain, Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts; Departments of Psychiatry and Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
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Fischer JM, Kandil FI, Katsarova E, Zager LS, Jeitler M, Kugler F, Fitzner F, Murthy V, Hanslian E, Wendelmuth C, Michalsen A, Karst M, Kessler CS. Patients' perspectives on prescription cannabinoid therapies: a cross-sectional, exploratory, anonymous, one-time web-based survey among German patients. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1196160. [PMID: 38143449 PMCID: PMC10740373 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1196160] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Since cannabinoids were partially legalized as prescription medicines in Germany in 2017, they are mostly used when conventional therapies do not suffice. Ambiguities remain regarding use, benefits and risks. This web-based survey explored the perspectives of patients whose experiences are not well enough known to date. Methods In an anonymous, exploratory, cross-sectional, one-time web-based observational study, participants receiving cannabinoid therapy on prescription documented aspects of their medical history, diagnoses, attitudes toward cannabinoids, physical symptoms, and emotional states. Participants completed the questionnaires twice here: first regarding the time of the survey and then, retrospectively, for the time before their cannabinoid therapy. Participants were recruited in a stratified manner in three German federal states. Results N = 216 participants (48.1% female, aged 51.8 ± 14.0) completed the survey, most of which (72%, n = 155) reported pain as their main reason for cannabinoid therapy. When comparing the current state with the retrospectively assessed state, participants reported greater satisfaction with their overall medical therapy (TSQM II: +47.9 ± 36.5, p < 0.001); improved well-being (WHO-5: +7.8 ± 5.9, p < 0.001) and fewer problems in PROMIS subscales (all p < 0.001). Patients suffering primarily from pain (72%, n = 155) reported a reduction of daily pain (NRS: -3.2 ± 2.0, p < 0.001), while participants suffering mainly from spasticity (8%, n = 17) stated decreased muscle spasticity (MSSS: -1.5 ± 0.6, p < 0.001) and better physical mobility (-0.8 ± 0.8, p < 0.001). Data suggests clinically relevant effects for most scores. Participants' attitudes toward cannabinoids (on a 5-point scale) improved (+1.1 ± 1.1, p < 0.001). Most patients (n = 146, 69%) did not report major difficulties with the cannabinoid prescription process, while (n = 27; 19%) had their cannabinoid therapy changed due to side effects. Discussion Most participants experienced their therapy with cannabinoids as more effective than their previous therapy. There are extensive limitations to this cross-sectional study: the originally intended representativeness of the dataset was not reached, partly due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic; the sample has a larger proportion of privately insured and self-paying patients. Results does not suggest that cannabinoid patients belong to a particular clientele. Effect sizes observed for pain reduction, quality of life, social participation, and other outcomes suggest a therapeutic potential, particularly in the treatment of chronic pain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jan Moritz Fischer
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Farid I. Kandil
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ekaterina Katsarova
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Laura Sophie Zager
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Jeitler
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Felix Kugler
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Franziska Fitzner
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Pain Clinic, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Vijayendra Murthy
- Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW, Australia
| | - Etienne Hanslian
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Andreas Michalsen
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine and Nature-based Therapies, Immanuel Hospital Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Karst
- Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Pain Clinic, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany
| | - Christian S. Kessler
- Institute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology and Health Economy, Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- Department of Internal Medicine and Nature-based Therapies, Immanuel Hospital Berlin, Berlin, Germany
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Sandoval-Caballero C, Luarte L, Jiménez Y, Jaque C, Cifuentes F, Arenas GA, Figueroa M, Jara J, Olszewski PK, Teske JA, Pérez-Leighton CE. Meta-analysis of pre-clinical studies on the effects of opioid receptor ligands on food intake, motivation, and choice. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105288. [PMID: 37331611 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023]
Abstract
The opioid receptors (OR) regulate food intake. Still, despite extensive pre-clinical research, the overall effects and individual contribution of the mu (MOR), kappa (KOR), and delta (DOR) OR subtypes to feeding behaviors and food intake remain unclear. To address this, we conducted a pre-registered systematic search and meta-analysis of rodent dose-response studies to evaluate the impact of central and peripheral administration of non-selective and selective OR ligands on intake, motivation, and choice of food. All studies had a high bias risk. Still, the meta-analysis confirmed the overall orexigenic and anorexigenic effects of OR agonists and antagonists, respectively. Our results support a larger orexigenic role for central MOR agonists among OR subtypes and that peripheral OR antagonists reduce motivation for and intake of preferred foods. In binary food choice studies, peripheral OR agonists selectively increase the intake of fat-preferred foods; in contrast, they did not increase the intake of sweet carbohydrate-preferred foods. Overall, these data support that OR regulation of intake, motivation, and choice is influenced by food macronutrient composition.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Sandoval-Caballero
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago 8331150, Region Metropolitana, Chile
| | - L Luarte
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago 8331150, Region Metropolitana, Chile
| | - Y Jiménez
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago 8331150, Region Metropolitana, Chile
| | - C Jaque
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago 8331150, Region Metropolitana, Chile
| | - F Cifuentes
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago 8331150, Region Metropolitana, Chile
| | - G A Arenas
- Instituto de Ciencias de la Ingeniería, Universidad de O'Higgins, Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins #611, Rancagua 2841959, Region del Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins, Chile
| | - M Figueroa
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago 8331150, Region Metropolitana, Chile
| | - J Jara
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago 8331150, Region Metropolitana, Chile
| | - P K Olszewski
- Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Waikato, Hamilton, Private Bag 3105, Hamilton 3240, New Zealand
| | - J A Teske
- School of Nutritional Sciences and Wellness and the Graduate Interdisciplinary Programs in Physiological Sciences and Neuroscience at the University of Arizona, 1177 E 4th Street Shantz 332, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA
| | - C E Pérez-Leighton
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Avenida Libertador Bernardo O'Higgins 340, Santiago 8331150, Region Metropolitana, Chile.
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Adzic M, Lukic I, Mitic M, Glavonic E, Dragicevic N, Ivkovic S. Contribution of the opioid system to depression and to the therapeutic effects of classical antidepressants and ketamine. Life Sci 2023:121803. [PMID: 37245840 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.121803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023]
Abstract
Major depressive disorder (MDD) afflicts approximately 5 % of the world population, and about 30-50 % of patients who receive classical antidepressant medications do not achieve complete remission (treatment resistant depressive patients). Emerging evidence suggests that targeting opioid receptors mu (MOP), kappa (KOP), delta (DOP), and the nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor (NOP) may yield effective therapeutics for stress-related psychiatric disorders. As depression and pain exhibit significant overlap in their clinical manifestations and molecular mechanisms involved, it is not a surprise that opioids, historically used to alleviate pain, emerged as promising and effective therapeutic options in the treatment of depression. The opioid signaling is dysregulated in depression and numerous preclinical studies and clinical trials strongly suggest that opioid modulation can serve as either an adjuvant or even an alternative to classical monoaminergic antidepressants. Importantly, some classical antidepressants require the opioid receptor modulation to exert their antidepressant effects. Finally, ketamine, a well-known anesthetic whose extremely efficient antidepressant effects were recently discovered, was shown to mediate its antidepressant effects via the endogenous opioid system. Thus, although opioid system modulation is a promising therapeutical venue in the treatment of depression further research is warranted to fully understand the benefits and weaknesses of such approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miroslav Adzic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, Vinca - Institute for Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia.
| | - Iva Lukic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, Vinca - Institute for Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milos Mitic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, Vinca - Institute for Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Emilija Glavonic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, Vinca - Institute for Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Nina Dragicevic
- Department of Pharmacy, Singidunum University, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Sanja Ivkovic
- Department of Molecular Biology and Endocrinology, Vinca - Institute for Nuclear Sciences, National Institute of Republic of Serbia, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
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11
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Riblet NB, Young-Xu Y, Shiner B, Schnurr PP, Watts BV. The efficacy and safety of buprenorphine for the treatment of depression: A systematic review and meta-analysis. J Psychiatr Res 2023; 161:393-401. [PMID: 37019069 PMCID: PMC10149594 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2023.03.037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depressive disorders are common. Many patients with major depression do not achieve remission with available treatments. Buprenorphine has been raised as a potential treatment for depression as well as suicidal behavior but may pose certain risks. METHODS A meta-analysis comparing the efficacy, tolerability, and safety of buprenorphine (or combinations such as buprenorphine/samidorphan) versus control in improving symptoms in patients with depression. Medline, Cochrane Database, PsycINFO, Excerpta Medica Database and The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature were searched from inception through January 2, 2022. Depressive symptoms were pooled using Hedge's g with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI). Tolerability, safety, suicide outcomes were summarized qualitatively. RESULTS 11 studies (N = 1699) met inclusion criteria. Buprenorphine had a small effect on depressive symptoms (Hedges' g 0.17, 95%CI: 0.05-0.29). Results were driven by six trials of buprenorphine/samidorphan (N = 1,343, Hedges's g 0.17, 95%CI: 0.04-0.29). One study reported significant improvement in suicidal thoughts (Least Squares Mean Change: -7.1, 95%CI: -12.0 - 2.3). Most studies found buprenorphine was well-tolerated with no evidence of abuse behavior or dependency. CONCLUSIONS Buprenorphine may have a small benefit for depressive symptoms. Future research should clarify the dose response relationship between buprenorphine and depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalie B Riblet
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mental Health Service, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Department of Psychiatry and Dartmouth Institute, 1 Rope Ferry Road, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA.
| | - Yinong Young-Xu
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mental Health Service, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Department of Psychiatry, 1 Rope Ferry Road, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA
| | - Brian Shiner
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mental Health Service, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Department of Psychiatry and Dartmouth Institute, 1 Rope Ferry Road, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA; National Center for PTSD, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA
| | - Paula P Schnurr
- Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Department of Psychiatry, 1 Rope Ferry Road, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA; National Center for PTSD, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA
| | - Bradley V Watts
- Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Mental Health Service, 215 North Main Street, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA; Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Department of Psychiatry, 1 Rope Ferry Road, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA; Veterans Rural Health Resource Center, White River Junction VA Medical Center, White River Junction, VT, 05009, USA
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12
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Quintanilla B, Medeiros GC, Greenstein D, Yuan P, Johnston JN, Park LT, Goes F, Gould TD, Zarate CA. κ-Opioid Receptor Plasma Levels Are Associated With Sex and Diagnosis of Major Depressive Disorder But Not Response to Ketamine. J Clin Psychopharmacol 2023; 43:89-96. [PMID: 36821406 PMCID: PMC9992159 DOI: 10.1097/jcp.0000000000001663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/24/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Preclinical evidence indicates that the κ-opioid receptor (KOR)/dynorphin pathway is implicated in depressive-like behaviors. Ketamine is believed to partly exert its antidepressant effects by modulating the opioid system. This post hoc study examined the following research questions: (1) at baseline, were there differences in KOR or dynorphin plasma levels between individuals with major depressive disorder (MDD) and healthy volunteers (HVs) or between men and women? (2) in individuals with MDD, did KOR or dynorphin baseline plasma levels moderate ketamine's therapeutic effects or adverse effects? and (3) in individuals with MDD, were KOR or dynorphin plasma levels affected after treatment with ketamine compared with placebo? METHODS Thirty-nine unmedicated individuals with MDD (23 women) and 25 HVs (16 women) received intravenous ketamine (0.5 mg/kg) and placebo in a randomized, crossover, double-blind trial. Blood was obtained from all participants at baseline and at 3 postinfusion time points (230 minutes, day 1, day 3). Linear mixed model regressions were used. RESULTS At baseline, participants with MDD had lower KOR plasma levels than HVs ( F1,60 = 13.16, P < 0.001), and women (MDD and HVs) had higher KOR plasma levels than men ( F1,60 = 4.98, P = 0.03). Diagnosis and sex had no significant effects on baseline dynorphin levels. Baseline KOR and dynorphin levels did not moderate ketamine's therapeutic or adverse effects. Compared with placebo, ketamine was not associated with postinfusion changes in KOR or dynorphin levels. CONCLUSIONS In humans, diagnosis of MDD and biological sex are involved with changes in components of the KOR/dynorphin pathway. Neither KOR nor dynorphin levels consistently moderated ketamine's therapeutic effects or adverse effects, nor were levels altered after ketamine infusion. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT00088699 ( ClinicalTrials.gov ).
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Affiliation(s)
- Brandi Quintanilla
- Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, NIMH-NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Gustavo C. Medeiros
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Dede Greenstein
- Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, NIMH-NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Peixiong Yuan
- Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, NIMH-NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jenessa N. Johnston
- Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, NIMH-NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
- Division of Medical Sciences, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Lawrence T. Park
- Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, NIMH-NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Fernando Goes
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Todd D. Gould
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Departments of Pharmacology and Anatomy & Neurobiology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
- Veterans Affairs Maryland Health Care System, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Carlos A. Zarate
- Experimental Therapeutics & Pathophysiology Branch, NIMH-NIH, Bethesda, MD, USA
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13
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Johnson BN, Kumar A, Su Y, Singh S, Sai KKS, Nader SH, Li S, Reboussin BA, Huang Y, Deep G, Nader MA. PET imaging of kappa opioid receptors and receptor expression quantified in neuron-derived extracellular vesicles in socially housed female and male cynomolgus macaques. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:410-417. [PMID: 36100655 PMCID: PMC9751296 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01444-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Recent positron emission tomography (PET) studies of kappa opioid receptors (KOR) in humans reported significant relationships between KOR availability and social status, as well as cocaine choice. In monkey models, social status influences physiology, receptor pharmacology and behavior; these variables have been associated vulnerability to cocaine abuse. The present study utilized PET imaging to examine KOR availability in socially housed, cocaine-naïve female and male monkeys, and peripheral measures of KORs with neuron-derived extracellular vesicles (NDE). KOR availability was assessed in dominant and subordinate female and male cynomolgus macaques (N = 4/rank/sex), using PET imaging with the KOR selective agonist [11C]EKAP. In addition, NDE from the plasma of socially housed monkeys (N = 13/sex; N = 6-7/rank) were isolated by immunocapture method and analyzed for OPRK1 protein expression by ELISA. We found significant interactions between sex and social rank in KOR availability across 12 of 15 brain regions. This was driven by female data, in which KOR availability was significantly higher in subordinate monkeys compared with dominant monkeys; the opposite relationship was observed among males, but not statistically significant. No sex or rank differences were observed for NDE OPRK1 concentrations. In summary, the relationship between brain KOR availability and social rank was different in female and male monkeys. This was particularly true in female monkeys. We hypothesize that lower [11C]EKAP binding potentials were due to higher concentrations of circulating dynorphin, which is consistent with greater vulnerability in dominant compared with subordinate females. These findings suggest that the KOR is an important target for understanding the neurobiology associated with vulnerability to abused drugs and sex differences, and detectable in peripheral circulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernard N Johnson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Ashish Kumar
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Yixin Su
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Sangeeta Singh
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Kiran Kumar Solingapuram Sai
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Susan H Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Songye Li
- Yale PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Beth A Reboussin
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Sciences, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Yiyun Huang
- Yale PET Center, Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Gagan Deep
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
| | - Michael A Nader
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
- Center for Addiction Research, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
- Department of Radiology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA.
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14
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Ji MJ, Gao ZQ, Yang J, Cai JH, Li KX, Wang J, Zhang H, Zhou CH, Cao JL, Liu C. Dynorphin promotes stress-induced depressive behaviors by inhibiting ventral pallidal neurons in rats. Acta Physiol (Oxf) 2022; 236:e13882. [PMID: 36039689 DOI: 10.1111/apha.13882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
AIM Endogenous dynorphin signaling via kappa opioid receptors (KORs) plays a key role in producing the depressive and aversive consequences of stress. We investigated the behavioral effects of the dynorphin/KOR system in the ventral pallidum (VP) and studied the underlying mechanisms. METHODS To investigate the effects of dynorphin on the VP, we conducted behavioral experiments after microinjection of drugs or shRNA and brain-slice electrophysiological recordings. Histological tracing and molecular biological experiments were used to identify the distribution of KORs and the possible sources of dynorphin projections to the VP. RESULTS An elevated dynorphin concentration and increased KOR activity were observed in the VP after acute stress. Infusion of dynorphin-A into the VP produced depressive-like phenotypes including anhedonia and despair and anxiety behaviors, but did not alter locomotor behavior. Mechanistically, dynorphin had an inhibitory effect on VP neurons-reducing their firing rate and inhibiting excitatory transmission-through direct activation of KORs and modulation of downstream G-protein-gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels and high-voltage gated calcium channels (VGCCs). Tracing revealed direct innervation of VP neurons by dynorphin-positive projections; potential sources of these dynorphinergic projections include the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and hypothalamus. Blockade of dynorphin/KOR signaling in the VP by drugs or viral knock-down of KORs significantly reduced despair behavior in rats. CONCLUSIONS Endogenous dynorphinergic modulation of the VP plays a critical role in mediating depressive reactions to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao-Jin Ji
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Qiang Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jiao Yang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ji-Heng Cai
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Ke-Xue Li
- Department of Physiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jie Wang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Hongxing Zhang
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Cheng-Hua Zhou
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of New Drug Research and Clinical Pharmacy, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Jun-Li Cao
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesiology, Jiangsu Province Key Laboratory of Anesthesia and Analgesia Application Technology, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Narcotic and Psychotropic Drugs, School of Anesthesiology, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, China
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15
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Mind the Gap—Deciphering GPCR Pharmacology Using 3D Pharmacophores and Artificial Intelligence. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15111304. [DOI: 10.3390/ph15111304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are amongst the most pharmaceutically relevant and well-studied protein targets, yet unanswered questions in the field leave significant gaps in our understanding of their nuanced structure and function. Three-dimensional pharmacophore models are powerful computational tools in in silico drug discovery, presenting myriad opportunities for the integration of GPCR structural biology and cheminformatics. This review highlights success stories in the application of 3D pharmacophore modeling to de novo drug design, the discovery of biased and allosteric ligands, scaffold hopping, QSAR analysis, hit-to-lead optimization, GPCR de-orphanization, mechanistic understanding of GPCR pharmacology and the elucidation of ligand–receptor interactions. Furthermore, advances in the incorporation of dynamics and machine learning are highlighted. The review will analyze challenges in the field of GPCR drug discovery, detailing how 3D pharmacophore modeling can be used to address them. Finally, we will present opportunities afforded by 3D pharmacophore modeling in the advancement of our understanding and targeting of GPCRs.
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16
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Limoges A, Yarur HE, Tejeda HA. Dynorphin/kappa opioid receptor system regulation on amygdaloid circuitry: Implications for neuropsychiatric disorders. Front Syst Neurosci 2022; 16:963691. [PMID: 36276608 PMCID: PMC9579273 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2022.963691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Amygdaloid circuits are involved in a variety of emotional and motivation-related behaviors and are impacted by stress. The amygdala expresses several neuromodulatory systems, including opioid peptides and their receptors. The Dynorphin (Dyn)/kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system has been implicated in the processing of emotional and stress-related information and is expressed in brain areas involved in stress and motivation. Dysregulation of the Dyn/KOR system has also been implicated in various neuropsychiatric disorders. However, there is limited information about the role of the Dyn/KOR system in regulating amygdala circuitry. Here, we review the literature on the (1) basic anatomy of the amygdala, (2) functional regulation of synaptic transmission by the Dyn/KOR system, (3) anatomical architecture and function of the Dyn/KOR system in the amygdala, (4) regulation of amygdala-dependent behaviors by the Dyn/KOR system, and (5) future directions for the field. Future work investigating how the Dyn/KOR system shapes a wide range of amygdala-related behaviors will be required to increase our understanding of underlying circuitry modulation by the Dyn/KOR system. We anticipate that continued focus on the amygdala Dyn/KOR system will also elucidate novel ways to target the Dyn/KOR system to treat neuropsychiatric disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aaron Limoges
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
- NIH-Columbia University Individual Graduate Partnership Program, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Hector E. Yarur
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Hugo A. Tejeda
- Unit on Neuromodulation and Synaptic Integration, Bethesda, MD, United States
- *Correspondence: Hugo A. Tejeda,
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17
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Wedemeyer MJ, Jennings EM, Smith HR, Chavera TS, Jamshidi RJ, Berg KA, Clarke WP. 14-3-3γ mediates the long-term inhibition of peripheral kappa opioid receptor antinociceptive signaling by norbinaltorphimine. Neuropharmacology 2022; 220:109251. [PMID: 36126728 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2022.109251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Revised: 08/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Long-term inhibition of kappa opioid receptor (KOR) signaling in peripheral pain-sensing neurons is a potential obstacle for development of peripherally-restricted KOR agonists that produce analgesia. Such a long-term inhibitory mechanism is invoked from activation of c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) that follows a single injection of the KOR antagonist norbinaltorphimine (norBNI). This effect requires protein synthesis of an unknown mediator in peripheral pain-sensing neurons. Using 2D difference gel electrophoresis with tandem mass spectrometry, we have identified that the scaffolding protein 14-3-3γ is upregulated in peripheral sensory neurons following activation of JNK with norBNI. Knockdown of 14-3-3γ by siRNA eliminates the long-term reduction in KOR-mediated cAMP signaling by norBNI in peripheral sensory neurons in culture. Similarly, knockdown of 14-3-3γ in the rat hind paw abolished the norBNI-mediated long-term reduction in peripheral KOR-mediated antinociception. Further, overexpression of 14-3-3γ in KOR expressing CHO cells prevented KOR-mediated inhibition of cAMP signaling. These long-term effects are selective for KOR as heterologous regulation of other receptor systems was not observed. These data suggest that 14-3-3γ is both necessary and sufficient for the long-term inhibition of KOR by norBNI in peripheral sensory neurons.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Wedemeyer
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Elaine M Jennings
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Hudson R Smith
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Teresa S Chavera
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Raehannah J Jamshidi
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kelly A Berg
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - William P Clarke
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
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18
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The Opioid System in Depression. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 140:104800. [PMID: 35914624 PMCID: PMC10166717 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 06/20/2022] [Accepted: 07/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Opioid receptors are widely distributed throughout the brain and play an essential role in modulating aspects of human mood, reward, and well-being. Accumulating evidence indicates the endogenous opioid system is dysregulated in depression and that pharmacological modulators of mu, delta, and kappa opioid receptors hold potential for the treatment of depression. Here we review animal and clinical data, highlighting evidence to support: dysregulation of the opioid system in depression, evidence for opioidergic modulation of behavioural processes and brain regions associated with depression, and evidence for opioidergic modulation in antidepressant responses. We evaluate clinical trials that have examined the safety and efficacy of opioidergic agents in depression and consider how the opioid system may be involved in the effects of other treatments, including ketamine, that are currently understood to exert antidepressant effects through non-opioidergic actions. Finally, we explore key neurochemical and molecular mechanisms underlying the potential therapeutic effects of opioid system engagement, that together provides a rationale for further investigation into this relevant target in the treatment of depression.
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19
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Pizzagalli DA. Toward a Better Understanding of the Mechanisms and Pathophysiology of Anhedonia: Are We Ready for Translation? Am J Psychiatry 2022; 179:458-469. [PMID: 35775159 PMCID: PMC9308971 DOI: 10.1176/appi.ajp.20220423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Anhedonia-the loss of pleasure or lack of reactivity to pleasurable stimuli-remains a formidable treatment challenge across neuropsychiatric disorders. In major depressive disorder, anhedonia has been linked to poor disease course, worse response to psychological, pharmacological, and neurostimulation treatments, and increased suicide risk. Moreover, although some neural abnormalities linked to anhedonia normalize after successful treatment, several persist-for example, blunted activation of the ventral striatum to reward-related cues and reduced functional connectivity involving the ventral striatum. Critically, some of these abnormalities have also been identified in unaffected, never-depressed children of parents with major depressive disorder and have been found to prospectively predict the first onset of major depression. Thus, neural abnormalities linked to anhedonia may be promising targets for prevention. Despite increased appreciation of the clinical importance of anhedonia and its underlying neural mechanisms, important gaps remain. In this overview, the author first summarizes the extant knowledge about the pathophysiology of anhedonia, which may provide a road map toward novel treatment and prevention strategies, and then highlights several priorities to facilitate clinically meaningful breakthroughs. These include a need for 1) appropriately controlled clinical trials, especially those embracing an experimental therapeutics approach to probe target engagement; 2) novel preclinical models relevant to anhedonia, with stronger translational value; and 3) clinical scales that incorporate neuroscientific advances in our understanding of anhedonia. The author concludes by highlighting important future directions, emphasizing the need for an integrated, collaborative, cross-species, and multilevel approach to tackling anhedonic phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diego A. Pizzagalli
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, and McLean Hospital, Belmont, Mass
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20
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Brice-Tutt AC, Eans SO, Yakovlev D, Aldrich JV, McLaughlin JP. An analog of [d-Trp]CJ-15,208 exhibits kappa opioid receptor antagonism following oral administration and prevents stress-induced reinstatement of extinguished morphine conditioned place preference. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2022; 217:173405. [PMID: 35584724 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2022.173405] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2021] [Revised: 03/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Opioid use disorder (OUD) relapse rates are discouragingly high, underscoring the need for new treatment options. The macrocyclic tetrapeptide natural product CJ-15,208 and its stereoisomer [d-Trp]CJ-15,208 demonstrate kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist activity upon oral administration which prevents stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine-seeking behavior. In order to further explore the structure-activity relationships and expand the potential therapeutic applications of KOR antagonism for the treatment of OUD, we screened a series of 24 analogs of [d-Trp]CJ-15,208 with the goal of enhancing KOR antagonist activity. From this screening, analog 22 arose as a compound of interest, demonstrating dose-dependent KOR antagonism after central and oral administration lasting at least 2.5 h. In further oral testing, analog 22 lacked respiratory, locomotor, or reinforcing effects, consistent with the absence of opioid agonism. Pretreatment with analog 22 (30 mg/kg, p.o.) prevented stress-induced reinstatement of extinguished morphine conditioned place preference and reduced some signs of naloxone-precipitated withdrawal in mice physically dependent on morphine. Collectively, these data support the therapeutic potential of KOR antagonists to support abstinence in OUD and ameliorate opioid withdrawal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ariana C Brice-Tutt
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America
| | - Shainnel O Eans
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America
| | - Dmitry Yakovlev
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America
| | - Jane V Aldrich
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America
| | - Jay P McLaughlin
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, United States of America.
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21
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In Vitro, In Vivo and In Silico Characterization of a Novel Kappa-Opioid Receptor Antagonist. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:ph15060680. [PMID: 35745598 PMCID: PMC9229160 DOI: 10.3390/ph15060680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) antagonists are promising innovative therapeutics for the treatment of the central nervous system (CNS) disorders. The new scaffold opioid ligand, Compound A, was originally found as a mu-opioid receptor (MOR) antagonist but its binding/selectivity and activation profile at the KOR and delta-opioid receptor (DOR) remain elusive. In this study, we present an in vitro, in vivo and in silico characterization of Compound A by revealing this ligand as a KOR antagonist in vitro and in vivo. In the radioligand competitive binding assay, Compound A bound at the human KOR, albeit with moderate affinity, but with increased affinity than to the human MOR and without specific binding at the human DOR, thus displaying a preferential KOR selectivity profile. Following subcutaneous administration in mice, Compound A effectively reverse the antinociceptive effects of the prototypical KOR agonist, U50,488. In silico investigations were carried out to assess the structural determinants responsible for opioid receptor subtype selectivity of Compound A. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations and dynamic pharmacophore (dynophore) generation revealed differences in the stabilization of the chlorophenyl moiety of Compound A within the opioid receptor binding pockets, rationalizing the experimentally determined binding affinity values. This new chemotype bears the potential for favorable ADMET properties and holds promise for chemical optimization toward the development of potential therapeutics.
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22
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Yadav A, Yadav A, Tripathi S, Dewaker V, Kant R, Yadav PN, Srivastava AK. Copper-Catalyzed Oxidative [3 + 2]-Annulation of Quinoxalin-2(1 H)-one with Oxime Esters toward Functionalized Pyrazolo[1,5- a]quinoxalin-4(5 H)-ones as Opioid Receptor Modulators. J Org Chem 2022; 87:7350-7364. [PMID: 35587158 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.2c00563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Pyrazolo[1,5-a]quinoxalin-4(5H)-one derivatives as novel opioid receptor modulators have been synthesized via copper-catalyzed oxidative [3 + 2]-annulation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-one and oxime-O-acetates. This hydrazine-free C-C and N-N bond formation strategy starts with the generation of C2N1 synthon using oxime acetate, which reacts in a [3 + 2] manner with quinoxalin-2(1H)-one, followed by oxidative aromatization. The synthesized compounds were tested against opioid receptors, of which eight compounds exhibited an antagonistic effect with EC50 < 5 μM at various opioid receptors. Molecular docking studies were performed to identify the binding of active pyrazolo[1,5-a]quinoxalin-4(5H)-one ligands with hKOR protein. Docking results indicated that compounds 3d and 3g participate in hydrogen bonding with the hydroxyl group of T111 of the active site pocket residue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anamika Yadav
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Anubhav Yadav
- Neuroscience and Ageing Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Shashank Tripathi
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Varun Dewaker
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Ruchir Kant
- Biochemistry and Structural Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India
| | - Prem Narayan Yadav
- Neuroscience and Ageing Biology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Ajay Kumar Srivastava
- Medicinal and Process Chemistry Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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23
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Leconte C, Mongeau R, Noble F. Traumatic Stress-Induced Vulnerability to Addiction: Critical Role of the Dynorphin/Kappa Opioid Receptor System. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:856672. [PMID: 35571111 PMCID: PMC9091501 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.856672] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Substance use disorders (SUD) may emerge from an individual’s attempt to limit negative affective states and symptoms linked to stress. Indeed, SUD is highly comorbid with chronic stress, traumatic stress, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and treatments approved for each pathology individually often failed to have a therapeutic efficiency in such comorbid patients. The kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) and its endogenous ligand dynorphin (DYN), seem to play a key role in the occurrence of this comorbidity. The DYN/KOR function is increased either in traumatic stress or during drug use, dependence acquisition and DYN is released during stress. The behavioural effects of stress related to the DYN/KOR system include anxiety, dissociative and depressive symptoms, as well as increased conditioned fear response. Furthermore, the DYN/KOR system is implicated in negative reinforcement after the euphoric effects of a drug of abuse ends. During chronic drug consumption DYN/KOR functions increase and facilitate tolerance and dependence. The drug-seeking behaviour induced by KOR activation can be retrieved either during the development of an addictive behaviour, or during relapse after withdrawal. DYN is known to be one of the most powerful negative modulators of dopamine signalling, notably in brain structures implicated in both reward and fear circuitries. KOR are also acting as inhibitory heteroreceptors on serotonin neurons. Moreover, the DYN/KOR system cross-regulate with corticotropin-releasing factor in the brain. The sexual dimorphism of the DYN/KOR system could be the cause of the gender differences observed in patients with SUD or/and traumatic stress-related pathologies. This review underlies experimental and clinical results emphasizing the DYN/KOR system as common mechanisms shared by SUD or/and traumatic stress-related pathologies, and suggests KOR antagonist as a new pharmacological strategy to treat this comorbidity.
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24
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Degrandmaison J, Rochon-Haché S, Parent JL, Gendron L. Knock-In Mouse Models to Investigate the Functions of Opioid Receptors in vivo. Front Cell Neurosci 2022; 16:807549. [PMID: 35173584 PMCID: PMC8841419 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2022.807549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to their low expression levels, complex multi-pass transmembrane structure, and the current lack of highly specific antibodies, the assessment of endogenous G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) remains challenging. While most of the research regarding their functions was performed in heterologous systems overexpressing the receptor, recent advances in genetic engineering methods have allowed the generation of several unique mouse models. These animals proved to be useful to investigate numerous aspects underlying the physiological functions of GPCRs, including their endogenous expression, distribution, interactome, and trafficking processes. Given their significant pharmacological importance and central roles in the nervous system, opioid peptide receptors (OPr) are often referred to as prototypical receptors for the study of GPCR regulatory mechanisms. Although only a few GPCR knock-in mouse lines have thus far been generated, OPr are strikingly well represented with over 20 different knock-in models, more than half of which were developed within the last 5 years. In this review, we describe the arsenal of OPr (mu-, delta-, and kappa-opioid), as well as the opioid-related nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) receptor knock-in mouse models that have been generated over the past years. We further highlight the invaluable contribution of such models to our understanding of the in vivo mechanisms underlying the regulation of OPr, which could be conceivably transposed to any other GPCR, as well as the limitations, future perspectives, and possibilities enabled by such tools.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jade Degrandmaison
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Département de Médecine, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Quebec Network of Junior Pain Investigators, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Samuel Rochon-Haché
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Département de Médecine, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Quebec Network of Junior Pain Investigators, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
| | - Jean-Luc Parent
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Département de Médecine, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Jean-Luc Parent,
| | - Louis Gendron
- Centre de Recherche du Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, Département de Pharmacologie-Physiologie, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- Quebec Pain Research Network, Sherbrooke, QC, Canada
- *Correspondence: Louis Gendron,
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25
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Aldrich JV, McLaughlin JP. Peptide Kappa Opioid Receptor Ligands and Their Potential for Drug Development. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2022; 271:197-220. [PMID: 34463847 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ligands for kappa opioid receptors (KOR) have potential uses as non-addictive analgesics and for the treatment of pruritus, mood disorders, and substance abuse. These areas continue to have major unmet medical needs. Significant advances have been made in recent years in the preclinical development of novel opioid peptides, notably ones with structural features that inherently impart stability to proteases. Following a brief discussion of the potential therapeutic applications of KOR agonists and antagonists, this review focuses on two series of novel opioid peptides, all-D-amino acid tetrapeptides as peripherally selective KOR agonists for the treatment of pain and pruritus without centrally mediated side effects, and macrocyclic tetrapeptides based on CJ-15,208 that can exhibit different opioid profiles with potential applications such as analgesics and treatments for substance abuse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jane V Aldrich
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
| | - Jay P McLaughlin
- Department of Pharmacodynamics, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
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26
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Ko MC, Husbands SM. Pleiotropic Effects of Kappa Opioid Receptor-Related Ligands in Non-human Primates. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2022; 271:435-452. [PMID: 33274403 PMCID: PMC8175454 DOI: 10.1007/164_2020_419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The kappa opioid receptor (KOR)-related ligands have been demonstrated in preclinical studies for several therapeutic potentials. This chapter highlights (1) how non-human primates (NHP) studies facilitate the research and development of ligands targeting the KOR, (2) effects of the endogenous opioid peptide, dynorphin A-(1-17), and its analogs in NHP, and (3) pleiotropic effects and therapeutic applications of KOR-related ligands. In particular, synthetic ligands targeting the KOR have been extensively studied in NHP in three therapeutic areas, i.e., the treatment for itch, pain, and substance use disorders. As the KORs are widely expressed in the peripheral and central nervous systems, pleiotropic effects of KOR-related ligands, such as discriminative stimulus effects, neuroendocrine effects (e.g., prolactin release and stimulation of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis), and diuresis, in NHP are discussed. Centrally acting KOR agonists are known to produce adverse effects including dysphoria, hallucination, and sedation. Nonetheless, with strategic advances in medicinal chemistry, three classes of KOR-related agonists, i.e., peripherally restricted KOR agonists, mixed KOR/mu opioid receptor partial agonists, and G protein-biased KOR agonists, warrant additional NHP studies to improve our understanding of their functional efficacy, selectivity, and tolerability. Pharmacological studies in NHP which carry high translational significance will facilitate future development of KOR-based medications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei-Chuan Ko
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
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27
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Baynard C, Prisinzano TE, Butelman ER. Rapid-Onset Anti-Stress Effects of a Kappa-Opioid Receptor Antagonist, LY2795050, Against Immobility in an Open Space Swim Paradigm in Male and Female Mice. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:775317. [PMID: 34880762 PMCID: PMC8645979 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.775317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) / dynorphin system is implicated with behavioral and neurobiological effects of stress exposure (including heavy exposure to drugs of abuse) in translational animal models. Thus some KOR-antagonists can decrease the aversive, depressant-like and anxiety-like effects caused by stress exposure. The first generation of selective KOR-antagonists have slow onsets (hours) and extremely long durations of action (days-weeks), in vivo. A new generation of KOR antagonists with rapid onset and shorter duration of action can potentially decrease the effects of stress exposure in translational models, and may be of interest for medication development. This study examined the rapid onset anti-stress effects of one of the shorter acting novel KOR-antagonists (LY2795050, (3-chloro-4-(4-(((2S)-2-pyridin-3-ylpyrrolidin-1-yl)methyl) phenoxy)benzamide)) in a single-session open space swim (OSS) stress paradigm (15 min duration), in adult male and female C57BL/6 J mice. LY2795050 (0.32 mg/kg, i.p.) had rapid onset (within 15 min) and short duration (<3 h) of KOR-antagonist effects, based on its blockade of the locomotor depressant effects of the KOR-agonist U50,488 (10 mg/kg). LY2795050 (0.32 mg/kg), when administered only 1 min prior to the OSS stress paradigm, decreased immobility in males, but not females. With a slightly longer pretreatment time (15 min), this dose of LY2795050 decreased immobility in both males and females. A 10-fold smaller dose of LY2795050 (0.032 mg/kg) was inactive in the OSS, showing dose-dependence of this anti-stress effect. Overall, these studies show that a novel KOR-antagonist can produce very rapid onset anti-immobility effects in this model of acute stress exposure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Baynard
- Laboratory on the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
| | - Thomas E Prisinzano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Eduardo R Butelman
- Laboratory on the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States
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28
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Borbély É, Simon M, Fuchs E, Wiborg O, Czéh B, Helyes Z. Novel drug developmental strategies for treatment-resistant depression. Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:1146-1186. [PMID: 34822719 PMCID: PMC9303797 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2021] [Revised: 10/17/2021] [Accepted: 11/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is a leading cause of disability worldwide. Because conventional therapies are ineffective in many patients, novel strategies are needed to overcome treatment‐resistant depression (TRD). Limiting factors of successful drug development in the last decades were the lack of (1) knowledge of pathophysiology, (2) translational animal models and (3) objective diagnostic biomarkers. Here, we review novel drug targets and drug candidates currently investigated in Phase I–III clinical trials. The most promising approaches are inhibition of glutamatergic neurotransmission by NMDA and mGlu5 receptor antagonists, modulation of the opioidergic system by κ receptor antagonists, and hallucinogenic tryptamine derivates. The only registered drug for TRD is the NMDA receptor antagonist, S‐ketamine, but add‐on therapies with second‐generation antipsychotics, certain nutritive, anti‐inflammatory and neuroprotective agents seem to be effective. Currently, there is an intense research focus on large‐scale, high‐throughput omics and neuroimaging studies. These results might provide new insights into molecular mechanisms and potential novel therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Éva Borbély
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Hungary.,Molecular Pharmacology Research Group, Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Mária Simon
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Clinical Centre, Medical School, University of Pécs, Hungary
| | - Eberhard Fuchs
- German Primate Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research, Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ove Wiborg
- Department of Health Science and Technology, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark
| | - Boldizsár Czéh
- Neurobiology of Stress Research Group, Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, Medical School, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
| | - Zsuzsanna Helyes
- Department of Pharmacology and Pharmacotherapy, Medical School, University of Pécs, Hungary.,Molecular Pharmacology Research Group, Szentágothai János Research Centre, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary
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29
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Choi Y, Kim B, Ham S, Chung S, Maeng S, Kim HS, Im HI. Subanesthetic ketamine rapidly alters medial prefrontal miRNAs involved in ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0256390. [PMID: 34437591 PMCID: PMC8389495 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Ketamine is a dissociative anesthetic and a non-competitive NMDAR antagonist. At subanesthetic dose, ketamine can relieve pain and work as a fast-acting antidepressant, but the underlying molecular mechanism remains elusive. This study aimed to investigate the mode of action underlying the effects of acute subanesthetic ketamine treatment by bioinformatics analyses of miRNAs in the medial prefrontal cortex of male C57BL/6J mice. Gene Ontology and KEGG pathway analyses of the genes putatively targeted by ketamine-responsive prefrontal miRNAs revealed that acute subanesthetic ketamine modifies ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis. Validation analysis suggested that miR-148a-3p and miR-128-3p are the main players responsible for the subanesthetic ketamine-mediated alteration of ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis through varied regulation of ubiquitin ligases E2 and E3. Collectively, our data imply that the prefrontal miRNA-dependent modulation of ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis is at least partially involved in the mode of action by acute subanesthetic ketamine treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunjung Choi
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Baeksun Kim
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Suji Ham
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sooyoung Chung
- Center for Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Sungho Maeng
- College of East-West Medical Science, Kyung Hee University, Yongin, South Korea
| | - Hye-Sun Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Pharmacology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Bundang-Gu, South Korea
| | - Heh-In Im
- Convergence Research Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Care System of Dementia, Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), Seoul, South Korea
- Division of Bio-Medical Science & Technology, KIST School, Korea University of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea
- Center for Neuroscience, Brain Science Institute, Korea Institute of Science and Technology, Seoul, South Korea
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30
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Placzek MS. Imaging Kappa Opioid Receptors in the Living Brain with Positron Emission Tomography. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 271:547-577. [PMID: 34363128 DOI: 10.1007/164_2021_498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) neuroimaging using positron emission tomography (PET) has been immensely successful in all phases of discovery and validation in relation to radiotracer development from preclinical imaging to human imaging. There are now several KOR-specific PET radiotracers that can be utilized for neuroimaging, including agonist and antagonist ligands, as well as C-11 and F-18 variants. These technologies will increase KOR PET utilization by imaging centers around the world and have provided a foundation for future studies. In this chapter, I review the advances in KOR radiotracer discovery, focusing on ligands that have been translated into human imaging, and highlight key attributes unique to each KOR PET radiotracer. The utilization of these radiotracers in KOR PET neuroimaging can be subdivided into three major investigational classes: the first, measurement of KOR density; the second, measurement of KOR drug occupancy; the third, detecting changes in endogenous dynorphin following activation or deactivation. Given the involvement of the KOR/dynorphin system in a number of brain disorders including, but not limited to, pain, itch, mood disorders and addiction, measuring KOR density in the living brain will offer insight into the chronic effects of these disorders on KOR tone in humans. Notably, KOR PET has been successful at measuring drug occupancy in the human brain to guide dose selection for maximal therapeutic efficacy while avoiding harmful side effects. Lastly, we discuss the potential of KOR PET to detect changes in endogenous dynorphin in the human brain, to elucidate neural mechanisms and offer critical insight into disease-modifying therapeutics. We conclude with comments on other translational neuroimaging modalities such as MRI that could be used to study KOR-dynorphin tone in the living human brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael S Placzek
- Department of Radiology, Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA. .,Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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31
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Butelman ER, Baynard C, McElroy BD, Prisinzano TE, Kreek MJ. Profile of a short-acting κ-antagonist, LY2795050, on self-grooming behaviors, forced swim test and locomotor activity: sex comparison in mice. J Psychopharmacol 2021; 35:579-590. [PMID: 33769112 DOI: 10.1177/0269881121996883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Novel short-acting κ(kappa)-opioid receptor selective antagonists are translational tools to examine the impact of the κ-receptor/dynorphin system in assays related to central nervous system dysfunction (e.g., substance use disorders, anhedonia and depression). The effects of such compounds have been compared in males and females under very limited conditions. AIMS The goal of this study was to examine potential sex differences in the effects of a κ-agonist and a short-acting κ-antagonist in an ethologically relevant test of anhedonia, the "splash test" of self-grooming, and also in the forced swim test and in locomotor activity. METHODS We examined the dose-dependence of grooming deficits caused by the κ-agonist U50,488 (0.1-3.2 mg/kg intraperitoneal (i.p.)) in gonadally intact adult male and female C57BL/6J mice. We then compared the effects of the short-acting κ-antagonist LY2795050 ((3-chloro-4-(4-(((2S)-2-pyridin-3-ylpyrrolidin-1-yl)methyl) phenoxy)benzamide)); 0.032-0.1 mg/kg i.p.) in blocking grooming deficits caused by U50,488 (3.2 mg/kg). The effects of LY2795050 were also studied in the forced swim test (FST). The effects of LY2795050 in blocking the locomotor depressant effects of U50,488 (10 mg/kg) were also studied. RESULTS U50,488 produced dose-dependent grooming deficits in male and female mice, and LY2795050 prevented these effects. In contrast, LY2795050 decreased immobility in the FST in males at a dose of 0.1 mg/kg, but not in females, up to a dose of 0.32 mg/kg. Also, LY2795050 (0.32 mg/kg) prevented and also reversed the locomotor-depressant effects of U50,488 (10 mg/kg), in males and females. CONCLUSIONS This study further implicates the κ-receptor system in ethologically relevant aspects of anhedonia, and confirms sexual dimorphism in some behavioral effects of novel κ-antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo R Butelman
- Laboratory on the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Caroline Baynard
- Laboratory on the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | - Bryan D McElroy
- Laboratory on the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
| | | | - Mary Jeanne Kreek
- Laboratory on the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, USA
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Wang HQ, Wang ZZ, Chen NH. The receptor hypothesis and the pathogenesis of depression: Genetic bases and biological correlates. Pharmacol Res 2021; 167:105542. [PMID: 33711432 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105542] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 02/24/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Depression has become one of the most prevalent neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by anhedonia, anxiety, pessimism, or even suicidal thoughts. Receptor theory has been pointed out to explain the pathogenesis of depression, while it is still subject to debate. Additionally, gene abnormality accounts for nearly 40-50% of depression risk, which is a significant factor contributing to the onset of depression. Accordingly, studying on receptors and their gene abnormality are critical parts of the research on internal causes of depression. This review summarizes the pathogenesis of depression from six of the most related receptors and their associated genes, including N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor, α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor, glucocorticoid receptor, 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor, GABAA receptor α2, and dopamine receptor; and several "non-classic" receptors, such as metabotropic glutamate receptor, opioid receptor, and insulin receptor. These receptors have received considerable critical attention and are highly implicated in the onset of depression. We begin by providing the biological mechanisms of action of these receptors on the pathogenesis of depression. Then we review the historical and social context about these receptors. Finally, we discuss the limitations of the current state of knowledge and outline insights on future research directions, aiming to provide more novel targets and theoretical basis for the early prevention, accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment of depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui-Qin Wang
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine & Hunan Engineering Technology Center of Standardization and Function of Chinese Herbal Decoction Pieces, Changsha 410208, Hunan, China; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
| | - Zhen-Zhen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
| | - Nai-Hong Chen
- Hunan University of Chinese Medicine & Hunan Engineering Technology Center of Standardization and Function of Chinese Herbal Decoction Pieces, Changsha 410208, Hunan, China; State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Functions of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica & Neuroscience Center, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100050, China.
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The Role of Dynorphin and the Kappa Opioid Receptor in Schizophrenia and Major Depressive Disorder: A Translational Approach. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 271:525-546. [PMID: 33459877 DOI: 10.1007/164_2020_396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) and its endogenous ligands dynorphins (DYN) have been implicated in the development or symptomatology of a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. This review covers a brief history of the development of KOR agonists and antagonists, their effects in healthy volunteers, and the potential role of DYN/KOR dysfunction in schizophrenia and major depressive disorder from a translational perspective. The potential role of DYN/KOR dysfunction in schizophrenia is based on several lines of evidence. Selective KOR agonists induce affective states in healthy volunteers with similarities to the symptoms of schizophrenia. Studies have shown increased DYN in patients with schizophrenia, although the data have been mixed. Finally, meta-analytic data have shown that opioid antagonists are associated with reductions in the symptoms of schizophrenia. The potential role of DYN/KOR dysfunction in major depressive disorder is also based on a combination of preclinical and clinical data. Selective KOR agonists have shown pro-depressive effects in human volunteers, while selective KOR antagonists have shown robust efficacy in several preclinical models of antidepressant activity. Small studies have shown that nonselective KOR antagonists may have efficacy in treatment-resistant depression. Additionally, recent clinical data have shown that the KOR may be an effective target for treating anhedonia, a finding relevant to both schizophrenia and depression. Finally, recommendations are provided for translating preclinical models for schizophrenia and major depressive disorder into the clinic.
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Spetea M, Schmidhammer H. Kappa Opioid Receptor Ligands and Pharmacology: Diphenethylamines, a Class of Structurally Distinct, Selective Kappa Opioid Ligands. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 271:163-195. [PMID: 33454858 DOI: 10.1007/164_2020_431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The kappa opioid receptor (KOR), a G protein-coupled receptor, and its endogenous ligands, the dynorphins, are prominent members of the opioid neuromodulatory system. The endogenous kappa opioid system is expressed in the central and peripheral nervous systems, and has a key role in modulating pain in central and peripheral neuronal circuits and a wide array of physiological functions and neuropsychiatric behaviors (e.g., stress, reward, emotion, motivation, cognition, epileptic seizures, itch, and diuresis). We review the latest advances in pharmacology of the KOR, chemical developments on KOR ligands with advances and challenges, and therapeutic and potential applications of KOR ligands. Diverse discovery strategies of KOR ligands targeting natural, naturally derived, and synthetic compounds with different scaffolds, as small molecules or peptides, with short or long-acting pharmacokinetics, and central or peripheral site of action, are discussed. These research efforts led to ligands with distinct pharmacological properties, as agonists, partial agonists, biased agonists, and antagonists. Differential modulation of KOR signaling represents a promising strategy for developing pharmacotherapies for several human diseases, either by activating (treatment of pain, pruritus, and epilepsy) or blocking (treatment of depression, anxiety, and addiction) the receptor. We focus on the recent chemical and pharmacological advances on diphenethylamines, a new class of structurally distinct, selective KOR ligands. Design strategies and investigations to define structure-activity relationships together with in vivo pharmacology of diphenethylamines as agonists, biased agonists, and antagonists and their potential use as therapeutics are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Spetea
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria.
| | - Helmut Schmidhammer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy and Center for Molecular Biosciences Innsbruck (CMBI), University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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Kappa Opioid Receptors in the Pathology and Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 271:493-524. [PMID: 33580854 DOI: 10.1007/164_2020_432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) is thought to regulate neural systems associated with anhedonia and aversion and mediate negative affective states that are associated with a number of psychiatric disorders, but especially major depressive disorder (MDD). Largely because KOR antagonists mitigate the effects of stress in preclinical studies, KOR antagonists have been recommended as novel drugs for treating MDD. The purpose of this review is to examine the role of KORs and its endogenous ligand dynorphins (DYNs) in the pathology and treatment of MDD derived from different types of clinical studies. Evidence pertaining to the role of KOR and MDD will be reviewed from (1) post mortem mRNA expression patterns in MDD, (2) the utility of KOR neuroimaging agents and serum biomarkers in MDD, and (3) evidence from the recent Fast Fail clinical trial that established KOR antagonism as a potential therapeutic strategy for the alleviation of anhedonia, a core feature of MDD. These findings are compared with a focused evaluation of stress-induced alterations in OPRK and PDYN mRNA expression. Finally, the current status of the effects of KOR antagonists on behavioral phenotypes of stress in preclinical studies related to MDD is summarized.
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The kappa opioid receptor antagonist aticaprant reverses behavioral effects from unpredictable chronic mild stress in male mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:3715-3728. [PMID: 32894343 PMCID: PMC7686052 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05649-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Major depressive disorder is a leading cause of disability worldwide and is likely precipitated by chronic stress. Although many antidepressants are currently available, these drugs require weeks to months of daily administration before reduction of symptoms occurs and many patients remain treatment-resistant despite several courses of treatment. There is a pressing need for new treatments for stress-related disorders. Kappa opioid receptors (KORs) are a promising new therapeutic target for major depressive disorder and anhedonia because acute KOR blockade prevents many effects of stress in rodents. OBJECTIVES The following study assessed whether repeated treatment with the selective KOR antagonist aticaprant (also known as JNJ-67953964, and previously LY-2456302 and CERC-501) was effective in reversing behaviors in rodents following exposure to unpredictable chronic mild stress (UCMS). METHODS Adult male C57BL/6J mice were exposed to 4 weeks of UCMS. After 3 weeks of stress, aticaprant (10 mg/kg) was administered daily for 11 treatments. Behavioral assessments included the sucrose preference test, nesting, forced swim test, hot plate test, light-dark test, and social interaction test. RESULTS Aticaprant significantly reversed stress-induced deficits produced by UCMS on the SPT, nesting, FST, and hot plate test. The effects of aticaprant persisted through a stress and treatment recovery period. Aticaprant was not effective at reversing behavioral effects caused by stress in the light-dark and social interaction tests. CONCLUSIONS The results support further study of the role of KORs in regulating circuits related to reward, self-care, and cognition when they are disrupted by chronic stress. They are also consistent with the clinical development of aticaprant as a therapeutic for stress-related disorders targeted at anhedonia, such as depression and post-traumatic stress disorder.
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Schmidhammer H, Erli F, Guerrieri E, Spetea M. Development of Diphenethylamines as Selective Kappa Opioid Receptor Ligands and Their Pharmacological Activities. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25215092. [PMID: 33147885 PMCID: PMC7663249 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25215092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/15/2020] [Revised: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Among the opioid receptors, the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) has been gaining substantial attention as a promising molecular target for the treatment of numerous human disorders, including pain, pruritus, affective disorders (i.e., depression and anxiety), drug addiction, and neurological diseases (i.e., epilepsy). Particularly, the knowledge that activation of the KOR, opposite to the mu opioid receptor (MOR), does not produce euphoria or leads to respiratory depression or overdose, has stimulated the interest in discovering ligands targeting the KOR as novel pharmacotherapeutics. However, the KOR mediates the negative side effects of dysphoria/aversion, sedation, and psychotomimesis, with the therapeutic promise of biased agonism (i.e., selective activation of beneficial over deleterious signaling pathways) for designing safer KOR therapeutics without the liabilities of conventional KOR agonists. In this review, the development of new KOR ligands from the class of diphenethylamines is presented. Specifically, we describe the design strategies, synthesis, and pharmacological activities of differently substituted diphenethylamines, where structure–activity relationships have been extensively studied. Ligands with distinct profiles as potent and selective agonists, G protein-biased agonists, and selective antagonists, and their potential use as therapeutic agents (i.e., pain treatment) and research tools are described.
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MESH Headings
- Analgesics, Opioid/chemistry
- Analgesics, Opioid/therapeutic use
- Humans
- Ligands
- Pain/drug therapy
- Pain/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/agonists
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/chemistry
- Receptors, Opioid, kappa/metabolism
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/agonists
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/chemistry
- Receptors, Opioid, mu/metabolism
- Structure-Activity Relationship
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Selective kappa-opioid antagonism ameliorates anhedonic behavior: evidence from the Fast-fail Trial in Mood and Anxiety Spectrum Disorders (FAST-MAS). Neuropsychopharmacology 2020; 45:1656-1663. [PMID: 32544925 PMCID: PMC7419512 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-020-0738-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2020] [Revised: 05/22/2020] [Accepted: 06/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Anhedonia remains a major clinical issue for which there is few effective interventions. Untreated or poorly controlled anhedonia has been linked to worse disease course and increased suicidal behavior across disorders. Taking a proof-of-mechanism approach under the auspices of the National Institute of Mental Health FAST-FAIL initiative, we were the first to show that, in a transdiagnostic sample screened for elevated self-reported anhedonia, 8 weeks of treatment with a kappa-opioid receptor (KOR) antagonist resulted in significantly higher reward-related activation in one of the core hubs of the brain reward system (the ventral striatum), better reward learning in the Probabilistic Reward Task (PRT), and lower anhedonic symptoms, relative to 8 weeks of placebo. Here, we performed secondary analyses of the PRT data to investigate the putative effects of KOR antagonism on anhedonic behavior with more precision by using trial-level model-based Bayesian computational modeling and probability analyses. We found that, relative to placebo, KOR antagonism resulted in significantly higher learning rate (i.e., ability to learn from reward feedback) and a more sustained preference toward the more frequently rewarded stimulus, but unaltered reward sensitivity (i.e., the hedonic response to reward feedback). Collectively, these findings provide novel evidence that in a transdiagnostic sample characterized by elevated anhedonia, KOR antagonism improved the ability to modulate behavior as a function of prior rewards. Together with confirmation of target engagement in the primary report (Krystal et al., Nat Med, 2020), the current findings suggest that further transdiagnostic investigation of KOR antagonism for anhedonia is warranted.
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Jacobson ML, Wulf HA, Tsuda MC, Browne CA, Lucki I. Sex differences in the modulation of mouse nest building behavior by kappa opioid receptor signaling. Neuropharmacology 2020; 177:108254. [PMID: 32726598 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2020.108254] [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: 02/10/2020] [Revised: 07/22/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Emerging evidence suggests that females are less sensitive than males to the effects of kappa opioid receptor (KOR) ligands across multiple behavioral measures. The effects of the KOR agonist U50,488 and the KOR antagonist aticaprant were assessed on nest building behavior, an ethologically relevant indicator of overall well-being and affect, in adult male and female C57BL/6J mice. Females required a higher dose of U50,488 to suppress nesting, and a higher dose of aticaprant to restore U50,488-induced impairment of nesting. Females also required a higher dose of aticaprant to decrease immobility scores in the forced swim test. Pretreatment with the estrogen receptor modulator tamoxifen, at a dose which blocked estrogen receptors, augmented the effect of U50,488 on nesting in female mice, suggesting that estrogen receptors play a key role in attenuating the effects of KOR ligands in female mice. Together, these results suggest that females are less sensitive to KOR mediation, requiring a higher dose to achieve comparable results to males. This behavioral sensitivity, as measured by nesting, may be mediated by estrogen receptors. Together these studies highlight the importance of comparing sex differences in response to KOR regulation on behaviors related to affective states.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moriah L Jacobson
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Service University, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Hildegard A Wulf
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Service University, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Mumeko C Tsuda
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Service University, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA; Rat Behavior Core, Uniformed Service University, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Caroline A Browne
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Service University, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA
| | - Irwin Lucki
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Service University, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA; Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Service University, Bethesda, MD, 20814, USA.
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Legakis LP, Karim-Nejad L, Negus SS. Effects of repeated treatment with monoamine-transporter-inhibitor antidepressants on pain-related depression of intracranial self-stimulation in rats. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:2201-2212. [PMID: 32382785 PMCID: PMC7308219 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-020-05530-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2019] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Synaptic neurotransmission with dopamine (DA), norepinephrine (NE), and serotonin (5-HT) is terminated primarily by reuptake into presynaptic terminals via the DA, NE, and 5-HT transporters (DAT/NET/SERT, respectively). Monoamine transporter inhibitors constitute one class of drugs used to treat both depression and pain, and therapeutic effects by these compounds often require repeated treatment for days or weeks. OBJECTIVES The present study compared antinociceptive effects produced by repeated treatment with monoamine transporter inhibitors in a preclinical assay of pain-related depression of positively reinforced operant responding. METHODS Adult Sprague-Dawley rats equipped with microelectrodes targeting a brain-reward area responded for pulses of electrical brain stimulation in an intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS) procedure. Intraperitoneal injection of dilute lactic acid served as a noxious stimulus that repeatedly depressed ICSS and also produced weight loss during 7 days of repeated acid administration. RESULTS Acid-induced depression of both ICSS and body weight were completely blocked by repeated pretreatment with the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug ketorolac. The DAT-selective inhibitor bupropion also fully blocked acid-induced ICSS depression and weight loss throughout all 7 days of treatment. The NET-selective inhibitor nortriptyline and the SERT-selective inhibitor citalopram were generally less effective, but both drugs blocked acid-induced ICSS depression by the end of the 7-day treatment. Acid-induced depression of ICSS and body weight were not blocked by the kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonist U69593 or the KOR antagonist norbinaltorphimine. CONCLUSIONS These results support effectiveness of bupropion to alleviate signs of pain-related behavioral depression in rats and further suggest that nortriptyline and citalopram produce significant but less reliable effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- L P Legakis
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - L Karim-Nejad
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - S S Negus
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
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Opioid system modulation of cognitive affective bias: implications for the treatment of mood disorders. Behav Pharmacol 2020; 31:122-135. [DOI: 10.1097/fbp.0000000000000559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
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Reed B, Butelman ER, Kreek MJ. Kappa Opioid Receptor Antagonists as Potential Therapeutics for Mood and Substance Use Disorders. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2020; 271:473-491. [PMID: 33174064 DOI: 10.1007/164_2020_401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The kappa opioid receptor (KOR) and its primary cognate ligands, the dynorphin peptides, are involved in diverse physiological processes. Disruptions to the KOR/dynorphin system have been found to likely play a role in multiple neuropsychological disorders, and hence KOR has emerged as a potential therapeutic target. Targeting KOR is complicated by close homology to the mu and delta opioid receptors (MOR and DOR), and many KOR ligands have at least moderate affinity to MOR and/or DOR. Animal models utilizing primarily very long-lasting selective KOR antagonists (>3 weeks following a single dose) have demonstrated that KOR antagonism attenuates certain anxiety-like and depression-like behaviors and blocks stress- and cue-induced reinstatement to drug seeking. Recently, relatively selective KOR antagonists with medication-like pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties and durations of action have been developed. One of these, JNJ-67953964 (also referred to as CERC-501, LY2456302, OpraKappa or Aticaprant) has been studied in humans, and shown to be safe, relatively KOR selective, and able to substantially attenuate binding of a KOR PET tracer to CNS localized KOR for greater than 24 h. While animal studies have indicated that compounds of this structural class are capable of normalizing withdrawal signs in animal models of cocaine and alcohol dependence and reducing cocaine and alcohol intake/seeking, additional studies are needed to determine the value of these second generation KOR antagonists in treating mood disorders and substance use disorders in humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Reed
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Eduardo R Butelman
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Mary Jeanne Kreek
- Laboratory of the Biology of Addictive Diseases, The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, USA
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