1
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Xia J, Li X, Zhu H, Zhou X, Chen J, Li Q, Li S, Chu H, Dong M. The μ-opioid receptor-mediated G i/o protein and β-arrestin2 signaling pathways both contribute to morphine-induced side effects. Eur J Pharmacol 2024; 966:176333. [PMID: 38278466 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2024.176333] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
The μ-opioid receptor-biased agonist theory holds that Gio protein signaling mediates the analgesic effect of opioids and the related side effects via the β-arrestin2 signaling pathway. A series of μ-opioid-biased agonists have been developed in accordance with this theory, and the FDA has approved TRV130 (as a representative of biased agonists) for marketing. However, several reports have raised the issue of opioid side effects associated with the use of agonists. In this study, five permeable peptides were designed to emulate 11 S/T phosphorylation sites at the μ-opioid receptor (MOR) carboxyl-terminal. In vitro experiments were performed to detect the activation level of G proteins from the cAMP inhibition assay and the β-arrestin2 recruitment by the BRET assay. Designed peptides might effectively interfere with the activation of the Gio and β-arrestin2 pathways when combined with morphine. The resulting morphine-induced tolerance, respiratory inhibition, and constipation in mice showed that the β-arrestin2 pathway was responsible for morphine tolerance while the Gio signaling pathway was involved with respiratory depression and constipation and that these side effects were significantly related to phosphorylation sites S363 and T370. This study may provide new directions for the development of safer and more effective opioid analgesics, and the designed peptides may be an effective tool for exploring the mechanism by which μ-opioid receptors function, with the potential of reducing the side effects that are associated with clinical opioid treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xia
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Hongyu Zhu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Xiaohui Zhou
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Ji Chen
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China
| | - Qihong Li
- Department of Stomatology, The Fifth Medical Center, Chinese PLA General Hospital, Beijing, 100071, China
| | - Shupeng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen, 518055, China.
| | - Haichen Chu
- Department of Anesthesiology, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, China
| | - Mingxin Dong
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266021, China.
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2
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Chiu YT, Deutch AY, Wang W, Schmitz GP, Huang KL, Kocak DD, Llorach P, Bowyer K, Liu B, Sciaky N, Hua K, Chen C, Mott SE, Niehaus J, DiBerto JF, English J, Walsh JJ, Scherrer G, Herman MA, Wu Z, Wetsel WC, Roth BL. A suite of engineered mice for interrogating psychedelic drug actions. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.25.559347. [PMID: 37808655 PMCID: PMC10557740 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.25.559347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
Psychedelic drugs like lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and psilocybin have emerged as potentially transformative therapeutics for many neuropsychiatric diseases, including depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, migraine, and cluster headaches. LSD and psilocybin exert their psychedelic effects via activation of the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor (HTR2A). Here we provide a suite of engineered mice useful for clarifying the role of HTR2A and HTR2A-expressing neurons in psychedelic drug actions. We first generated Htr2a-EGFP-CT-IRES-CreERT2 mice (CT:C-terminus) to independently identify both HTR2A-EGFP-CT receptors and HTR2A-containing cells thereby providing a detailed anatomical map of HTR2A and identifying cell types that express HTR2A. We also generated a humanized Htr2a mouse line and an additional constitutive Htr2A-Cre mouse line. Psychedelics induced a variety of known behavioral changes in our mice validating their utility for behavioral studies. Finally, electrophysiology studies revealed that extracellular 5-HT elicited a HTR2A-mediated robust increase in firing of genetically-identified pyramidal neurons--consistent with a plasma membrane localization and mode of action. These mouse lines represent invaluable tools for elucidating the molecular, cellular, pharmacological, physiological, behavioral, and other actions of psychedelic drugs in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Ting Chiu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Ariel Y. Deutch
- Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, TN, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Wei Wang
- Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, 10021, USA
| | - Gavin P Schmitz
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Karen Lu Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - D. Dewran Kocak
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Pierre Llorach
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kasey Bowyer
- Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, 10021, USA
| | - Bei Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Noah Sciaky
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Kunjie Hua
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Chongguang Chen
- Center for Substance Abuse Research, Lewis Katz School of Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19140, USA
| | - Sarah E. Mott
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jesse Niehaus
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jeffrey F. DiBerto
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Justin English
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Jessica J. Walsh
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Grégory Scherrer
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- UNC Neuroscience Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- New York Stem Cell Foundation ‒ Robertson Investigator, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
| | - Melissa A Herman
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Bowles Center for Alcohol Studies, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC 27599
| | - Zhuhao Wu
- Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain and Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, 10021, USA
| | - William C Wetsel
- Departments of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Cell Biology, and Neurobiology, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
- Mouse Behavioral and Neuroendocrine Analysis Core Facility, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
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3
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A highly D 3R-selective and efficacious partial agonist (S)-ABS01-113 compared to its D 3R-selective antagonist enantiomer (R)-ABS01-113 as potential treatments for opioid use disorder. Neuropsychopharmacology 2022; 47:2309-2318. [PMID: 35879349 PMCID: PMC9309443 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-022-01379-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The non-medical use of opioids has become a national crisis in the USA. Developing non-opioid pharmacotherapies for controlling this opioid epidemic is urgent. Dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) antagonists and low efficacy partial agonists have shown promising profiles in animal models of opioid use disorders (OUD). However, to date, advancement to human studies has been limited. Here we report the effects of (S)- and (R)-enantiomers of (±)-ABS01-113, structural analogs of the D3R partial agonist, (±)-VK4-40, in which the 3-OH in the linking chain is replaced by 3-F group. (S)- and (R)-ABS01-113 are identical in chemical structure but with opposite chirality. In vitro receptor binding and functional assays indicate that (S)-ABS01-113 is an efficacious (55%) and potent (EC50 = 7.6 ± 3.9 nM) D3R partial agonist, while the (R)-enantiomer is a potent D3R antagonist (IC50 = 11.4 nM). Both (S)- and (R)-ABS01-113 bind with high affinity to D3R (Ki = 0.84 ± 0.16 and 0.37 ± 0.06 nM, respectively); however, the (S)-enantiomer is more D3/D2-selective (>1000-fold). Pharmacokinetic analyses indicate that both enantiomers display excellent oral bioavailability and high brain penetration. Systemic administration of (S)- or (R)-ABS01-113 alone failed to alter open-field locomotion in male rats and mice. Interestingly, pretreatment with (S)- or (R)-ABS01-113 attenuated heroin-enhanced hyperactivity, heroin self-administration, and (heroin + cue)-induced reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior. Together, these findings reveal that both enantiomers, particularly the highly selective and efficacious D3R partial agonist (S)-ABS01-113, demonstrate promising translational potential for the treatment of OUD.
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4
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Exploring Pharmacological Functions of Alternatively Spliced Variants of the Mu Opioid Receptor Gene, Oprm1, via Gene-Targeted Animal Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23063010. [PMID: 35328429 PMCID: PMC8950057 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23063010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
The mu opioid receptor has a distinct place in the opioid receptor family, since it mediates the actions of most opioids used clinically (e.g., morphine and fentanyl), as well as drugs of abuse (e.g., heroin). The single-copy mu opioid receptor gene, OPRM1, goes through extensive alternative pre-mRNA splicing to generate numerous splice variants that are conserved from rodents to humans. These OPRM1 splice variants can be classified into three structurally distinct types: (1) full-length 7 transmembrane (TM) carboxyl (C)-terminal variants; (2) truncated 6TM variants; and (3) single TM variants. Distinct pharmacological functions of these splice variants have been demonstrated by both in vitro and in vivo studies, particularly by using several unique gene-targeted mouse models. These studies provide new insights into our understanding of the complex actions of mu opioids with regard to OPRM1 alternative splicing. This review provides an overview of the studies that used these gene-targeted mouse models for exploring the functional importance of Oprm1 splice variants.
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5
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Davis S, Zhu J. Substance abuse and neurotransmission. ADVANCES IN PHARMACOLOGY (SAN DIEGO, CALIF.) 2022; 93:403-441. [PMID: 35341573 PMCID: PMC9759822 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apha.2021.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The number of people who suffer from a substance abuse disorder has continued to rise over the last decade; particularly, the number of drug-related overdose deaths has sharply increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Converging lines of clinical observations, supported by imaging and neuropsychological performance testing, have demonstrated that substance abuse-induced dysregulation of neurotransmissions in the brain is critical for development and expression of the addictive properties of abused substances. Recent scientific advances have allowed for better understanding of the neurobiological processes that mediates drugs of abuse and addiction. This chapter presents the past classic concepts and the recent advances in our knowledge about how cocaine, amphetamines, opioids, alcohol, and nicotine alter multiple neurotransmitter systems, which contribute to the behaviors associated with each drug. Additionally, we discuss the interactive effects of HIV-1 or COVID-19 and substance abuse on neurotransmission and neurobiological pathways. Finally, we introduce therapeutic strategies for development of pharmacotherapies for substance abuse disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Davis
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States
| | - Jun Zhu
- Department of Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC, United States.
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6
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Jordan CJ, Xi ZX. Identification of the Risk Genes Associated With Vulnerability to Addiction: Major Findings From Transgenic Animals. Front Neurosci 2022; 15:811192. [PMID: 35095405 PMCID: PMC8789752 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2021.811192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding risk factors for substance use disorders (SUD) can facilitate medication development for SUD treatment. While a rich literature exists discussing environmental factors that influence SUD, fewer articles have focused on genetic factors that convey vulnerability to drug use. Methods to identify SUD risk genes include Genome-Wide Association Studies (GWAS) and transgenic approaches. GWAS have identified hundreds of gene variants or single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, few genes identified by GWAS have been verified by clinical or preclinical studies. In contrast, significant progress has been made in transgenic approaches to identify risk genes for SUD. In this article, we review recent progress in identifying candidate genes contributing to drug use and addiction using transgenic approaches. A central hypothesis is if a particular gene variant (e.g., resulting in reduction or deletion of a protein) is associated with increases in drug self-administration or relapse to drug seeking, this gene variant may be considered a risk factor for drug use and addiction. Accordingly, we identified several candidate genes such as those that encode dopamine D2 and D3 receptors, mGluR2, M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors, and α5 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, which appear to meet the risk-gene criteria when their expression is decreased. Here, we describe the role of these receptors in drug reward and addiction, and then summarize major findings from the gene-knockout mice or rats in animal models of addiction. Lastly, we briefly discuss future research directions in identifying addiction-related risk genes and in risk gene-based medication development for the treatment of addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe J. Jordan
- Division of Alcohol, Drugs and Addiction, Department of Psychiatry, McLean Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Belmont, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Chloe J. Jordan,
| | - Zheng-Xiong Xi
- Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Zheng-Xiong Xi,
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7
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Liu S, Kang WJ, Abrimian A, Xu J, Cartegni L, Majumdar S, Hesketh P, Bekker A, Pan YX. Alternative Pre-mRNA Splicing of the Mu Opioid Receptor Gene, OPRM1: Insight into Complex Mu Opioid Actions. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11101525. [PMID: 34680158 PMCID: PMC8534031 DOI: 10.3390/biom11101525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Most opioid analgesics used clinically, including morphine and fentanyl, as well as the recreational drug heroin, act primarily through the mu opioid receptor, a class A Rhodopsin-like G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). The single-copy mu opioid receptor gene, OPRM1, undergoes extensive alternative splicing, creating multiple splice variants or isoforms via a variety of alternative splicing events. These OPRM1 splice variants can be categorized into three major types based on the receptor structure: (1) full-length 7 transmembrane (TM) C-terminal variants; (2) truncated 6TM variants; and (3) single TM variants. Increasing evidence suggests that these OPRM1 splice variants are pharmacologically important in mediating the distinct actions of various mu opioids. More importantly, the OPRM1 variants can be targeted for development of novel opioid analgesics that are potent against multiple types of pain, but devoid of many side-effects associated with traditional opiates. In this review, we provide an overview of OPRM1 alternative splicing and its functional relevance in opioid pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (S.L.); (W.-J.K.); (A.A.); (J.X.); (P.H.); (A.B.)
| | - Wen-Jia Kang
- Department of Anesthesiology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (S.L.); (W.-J.K.); (A.A.); (J.X.); (P.H.); (A.B.)
| | - Anna Abrimian
- Department of Anesthesiology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (S.L.); (W.-J.K.); (A.A.); (J.X.); (P.H.); (A.B.)
| | - Jin Xu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (S.L.); (W.-J.K.); (A.A.); (J.X.); (P.H.); (A.B.)
| | - Luca Cartegni
- Department of Chemical Biology, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA;
| | - Susruta Majumdar
- Center for Clinical Pharmacology, University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy and Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA;
| | - Patrick Hesketh
- Department of Anesthesiology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (S.L.); (W.-J.K.); (A.A.); (J.X.); (P.H.); (A.B.)
| | - Alex Bekker
- Department of Anesthesiology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (S.L.); (W.-J.K.); (A.A.); (J.X.); (P.H.); (A.B.)
| | - Ying-Xian Pan
- Department of Anesthesiology, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ 07103, USA; (S.L.); (W.-J.K.); (A.A.); (J.X.); (P.H.); (A.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-973-972-3213
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8
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Gledhill LJ, Babey AM. Synthesis of the Mechanisms of Opioid Tolerance: Do We Still Say NO? Cell Mol Neurobiol 2021; 41:927-948. [PMID: 33704603 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-021-01065-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
The use of morphine as a first-line agent for moderate-to-severe pain is limited by the development of analgesic tolerance. Initially opioid receptor desensitization in response to repeated stimulation, thought to underpin the establishment of tolerance, was linked to a compensatory increase in adenylate cyclase responsiveness. The subsequent demonstration of cross-talk between N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) glutamate receptors and opioid receptors led to the recognition of a role for nitric oxide (NO), wherein blockade of NO synthesis could prevent tolerance developing. Investigations of the link between NO levels and opioid receptor desensitization implicated a number of events including kinase recruitment and peroxynitrite-mediated protein regulation. Recent experimental advances and the identification of new cellular constituents have expanded the potential signaling candidates to include unexpected, intermediary compounds not previously linked to this process such as zinc, histidine triad nucleotide-binding protein 1 (HINT1), micro-ribonucleic acid (mi-RNA) and regulator of G protein signaling Z (RGSZ). A further complication is a lack of consistency in the protocols used to create tolerance, with some using acute methods measured in minutes to hours and others using days. There is also an emphasis on the cellular changes that are extant only after tolerance has been established. Although a review of the literature demonstrates a lack of spatio-temporal detail, there still appears to be a pivotal role for nitric oxide, as well as both intracellular and intercellular cross-talk. The use of more consistent approaches to verify these underlying mechanism(s) could provide an avenue for targeted drug development to rescue opioid efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura J Gledhill
- CURA Pharmacy, St. John of God Hospital, Bendigo, VIC, 3550, Australia
| | - Anna-Marie Babey
- Faculty of Medicine and Health, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, 2351, Australia.
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9
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Lemos Duarte M, Devi LA. Post-translational Modifications of Opioid Receptors. Trends Neurosci 2020; 43:417-432. [PMID: 32459993 PMCID: PMC7323054 DOI: 10.1016/j.tins.2020.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are key events in signal transduction since they affect protein function by regulating their abundance and/or activity. PTMs involve the covalent attachment of functional groups to specific amino acids. Since they tend to be generally reversible, PTMs serve as regulators of signal transduction pathways. G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are major signaling proteins that undergo multiple types of PTMs. In this Review, we focus on the opioid receptors, members of GPCR family A, and highlight recent advances in the field that have underscored the importance of PTMs in the functional regulation of these receptors. Since opioid receptor activity plays a central role in the development of tolerance and addiction to morphine and other drugs of abuse, understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating receptor activity is of fundamental importance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Lemos Duarte
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Lakshmi A Devi
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
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10
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Jeske NA. Dynamic Opioid Receptor Regulation in the Periphery. Mol Pharmacol 2019; 95:463-467. [PMID: 30723091 PMCID: PMC6442319 DOI: 10.1124/mol.118.114637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 12/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Opioids serve a vital role in the current analgesic array of treatment options. They are useful in acute instances involving severe pain associated with trauma, surgery, and terminal diseases such as cancer. In the past three decades, multiple receptor isoforms and conformations have been reported throughout literature. Most of these studies conducted systemic analyses of opioid receptor function, often generalizing findings from receptor systems in central nervous tissue or exogenously expressing immortalized cell lines as common mechanisms throughout physiology. However, a culmination of innovative experimental data indicates that opioid receptor systems are differentially modulated depending on their anatomic expression profile. Importantly, opioid receptors expressed in the peripheral nervous system undergo regulation uncommon to similar receptors expressed in central nervous system tissues. This distinctive characteristic begs one to question whether peripheral opioid receptors maintain anatomically unique roles, and whether they may serve an analgesic advantage in providing pain relief without promoting addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel A Jeske
- Departments of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Pharmacology, and Physiology, Center for Biomedical Neuroscience, University of Texas Health San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas
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11
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Comer SD, Cahill CM. Fentanyl: Receptor pharmacology, abuse potential, and implications for treatment. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2018; 106:49-57. [PMID: 30528374 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.12.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2018] [Revised: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Opioid overdoses, many of which are attributed to use of illicit fentanyl, are currently one of the leading causes of death in the U.S. Although fentanyl has been used safely for decades in clinical settings, the widespread use of illicit fentanyl is a recent phenomenon. Starting in 2013, illicitly manufactured fentanyl and its analogs began to appear on the streets. These substances were added to or sold as heroin, often unbeknownst to the user. Because fentanyl is so potent, only small amounts are needed to produce pharmacological effects, but the margin between safe and toxic doses is narrow. Surprisingly little is known about the exact signaling mechanisms underlying fentanyl-related respiratory depression or the effectiveness of naloxone in reversing this effect. Similarly, little is known about the ability of treatment medications such as buprenorphine, methadone, or naltrexone to reduce illicit fentanyl use. The present article reviews the receptor, preclinical and clinical pharmacology of fentanyl, and how its pharmacology may predict the effectiveness of currently approved medications for treating illicit fentanyl use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra D Comer
- New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, 10027, United States.
| | - Catherine M Cahill
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, 90095, United States
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12
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Gao JT, Jordan CJ, Bi GH, He Y, Yang HJ, Gardner EL, Xi ZX. Deletion of the type 2 metabotropic glutamate receptor increases heroin abuse vulnerability in transgenic rats. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:2615-2626. [PMID: 30283001 PMCID: PMC6224385 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-018-0231-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2018] [Revised: 09/20/2018] [Accepted: 09/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Opioid abuse is a rapidly growing public health crisis in the USA. Despite extensive research in the past decades, little is known about the etiology of opioid addiction or the neurobiological risk factors that increase vulnerability to opioid use and abuse. Recent studies suggest that the type 2 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR2) is critically involved in substance abuse and addiction. In the present study, we evaluated whether low-mGluR2 expression may represent a risk factor for the development of opioid abuse and addiction using transgenic mGluR2-knockout (mGluR2-KO) rats. Compared to wild-type controls, mGluR2-KO rats exhibited higher nucleus accumbens (NAc) dopamine (DA) and locomotor responses to heroin, higher heroin self-administration and heroin intake, more potent morphine-induced analgesia and more severe naloxone-precipitated withdrawal symptoms. In contrast, mGluR2-KO rats displayed lower motivation for heroin self-administration under high price progressive-ratio (PR) reinforcement conditions. Taken together, these findings suggest that mGluR2 may play an inhibitory role in opioid action, such that deletion of this receptor results in an increase in brain DA responses to heroin and in acute opioid reward and analgesia. Low-mGluR2 expression in the brain may therefore be a risk factor for the initial development of opioid abuse and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Tao Gao
- Addiction Biology Unit, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
- Department of Physiology, Jilin Medical University, Jilin, 132013, P.R. China
| | - Chloe J Jordan
- Addiction Biology Unit, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Guo-Hua Bi
- Addiction Biology Unit, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Yi He
- Addiction Biology Unit, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Hong-Ju Yang
- Addiction Biology Unit, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Eliot L Gardner
- Addiction Biology Unit, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA
| | - Zheng-Xiong Xi
- Addiction Biology Unit, Molecular Targets and Medications Discovery Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA.
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13
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Wei C, Han X, Weng D, Feng Q, Qi X, Li J, Luo M. Response dynamics of midbrain dopamine neurons and serotonin neurons to heroin, nicotine, cocaine, and MDMA. Cell Discov 2018; 4:60. [PMID: 30416749 PMCID: PMC6218454 DOI: 10.1038/s41421-018-0060-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2018] [Revised: 08/21/2018] [Accepted: 08/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Heroin, nicotine, cocaine, and MDMA are abused by billions of people. They are believed to target midbrain dopamine neurons and/or serotonin neurons, but their effects on the dynamic neuronal activity remain unclear in behaving states. By combining cell-type-specific fiber photometry of Ca2+ signals and intravenous drug infusion, here we show that these four drugs of abuse profoundly modulate the activity of mouse midbrain dopamine neurons and serotonin neurons with distinct potency and kinetics. Heroin strongly activates dopamine neurons, and only excites serotonin neurons at higher doses. Nicotine activates dopamine neurons in merely a few seconds, but produces minimal effects on serotonin neurons. Cocaine and MDMA cause long-lasting suppression of both dopamine neurons and serotonin neurons, although MDMA inhibits serotonin neurons more profoundly. Moreover, these inhibitory effects are mediated through the activity of dopamine and serotonin autoreceptors. These results suggest that the activity of dopamine neurons and that of serotonin neurons are more closely associated with the drug's reinforcing property and the drug's euphorigenic property, respectively. This study also shows that our methodology may facilitate further in-vivo interrogation of neural dynamics using animal models of drug addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wei
- 1School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871 China.,2Peking University-Tsinghua University-NIBS Graduate Program, Peking University, Beijing, 100081 China.,3National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206 China
| | - Xiao Han
- 4Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850 China
| | - Danwei Weng
- 3National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206 China
| | - Qiru Feng
- 3National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206 China
| | - Xiangbing Qi
- 3National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206 China
| | - Jin Li
- 4Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, 100850 China
| | - Minmin Luo
- 3National Institute of Biological Sciences (NIBS), Beijing, 102206 China.,5School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 China
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14
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Palmitoylation as a Functional Regulator of Neurotransmitter Receptors. Neural Plast 2018; 2018:5701348. [PMID: 29849559 PMCID: PMC5903346 DOI: 10.1155/2018/5701348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2017] [Accepted: 01/29/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The majority of neuronal proteins involved in cellular signaling undergo different posttranslational modifications significantly affecting their functions. One of these modifications is a covalent attachment of a 16-C palmitic acid to one or more cysteine residues (S-palmitoylation) within the target protein. Palmitoylation is a reversible modification, and repeated cycles of palmitoylation/depalmitoylation might be critically involved in the regulation of multiple signaling processes. Palmitoylation also represents a common posttranslational modification of the neurotransmitter receptors, including G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) and ligand-gated ion channels (LICs). From the functional point of view, palmitoylation affects a wide span of neurotransmitter receptors activities including their trafficking, sorting, stability, residence lifetime at the cell surface, endocytosis, recycling, and synaptic clustering. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the palmitoylation of neurotransmitter receptors and its role in the regulation of receptors functions as well as in the control of different kinds of physiological and pathological behavior.
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15
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Abstract
This paper is the thirty-ninth consecutive installment of the annual review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system. It summarizes papers published during 2016 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides, opioid receptors, opioid agonists and opioid antagonists. The particular topics that continue to be covered include the molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors related to behavior, and the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia, stress and social status, tolerance and dependence, learning and memory, eating and drinking, drug abuse and alcohol, sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology, mental illness and mood, seizures and neurologic disorders, electrical-related activity and neurophysiology, general activity and locomotion, gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions, cardiovascular responses, respiration and thermoregulation, and immunological responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and CUNY Neuroscience Collaborative, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY 11367, United States.
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16
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Xu J, Lu Z, Narayan A, Le Rouzic VP, Xu M, Hunkele A, Brown TG, Hoefer WF, Rossi GC, Rice RC, Martínez-Rivera A, Rajadhyaksha AM, Cartegni L, Bassoni DL, Pasternak GW, Pan YX. Alternatively spliced mu opioid receptor C termini impact the diverse actions of morphine. J Clin Invest 2017; 127:1561-1573. [PMID: 28319053 DOI: 10.1172/jci88760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2016] [Accepted: 01/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Extensive 3' alternative splicing of the mu opioid receptor gene OPRM1 creates multiple C-terminal splice variants. However, their behavioral relevance remains unknown. The present study generated 3 mutant mouse models with truncated C termini in 2 different mouse strains, C57BL/6J (B6) and 129/SvEv (129). One mouse truncated all C termini downstream of Oprm1 exon 3 (mE3M mice), while the other two selectively truncated C-terminal tails encoded by either exon 4 (mE4M mice) or exon 7 (mE7M mice). Studies of these mice revealed divergent roles for the C termini in morphine-induced behaviors, highlighting the importance of C-terminal variants in complex morphine actions. In mE7M-B6 mice, the exon 7-associated truncation diminished morphine tolerance and reward without altering physical dependence, whereas the exon 4-associated truncation in mE4M-B6 mice facilitated morphine tolerance and reduced morphine dependence without affecting morphine reward. mE7M-B6 mutant mice lost morphine-induced receptor desensitization in the brain stem and hypothalamus, consistent with exon 7 involvement in morphine tolerance. In cell-based studies, exon 7-associated variants shifted the bias of several mu opioids toward β-arrestin 2 over G protein activation compared with the exon 4-associated variant, suggesting an interaction of exon 7-associated C-terminal tails with β-arrestin 2 in morphine-induced desensitization and tolerance. Together, the differential effects of C-terminal truncation illustrate the pharmacological importance of OPRM1 3' alternative splicing.
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