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Yadav-Samudrala BJ, Dodson H, Ramineni S, Kim E, Poklis JL, Lu D, Ignatowska-Jankowska BM, Lichtman AH, Fitting S. Cannabinoid receptor 1 positive allosteric modulator ZCZ011 shows differential effects on behavior and the endocannabinoid system in HIV-1 Tat transgenic female and male mice. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0305868. [PMID: 38913661 PMCID: PMC11195999 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0305868] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/26/2024] Open
Abstract
The cannabinoid receptor type 1 (CB1R) is a promising therapeutic target for various neurodegenerative diseases, including HIV-1-associated neurocognitive disorder (HAND). However, the therapeutic potential of CB1R by direct activation is limited due to its psychoactive side effects. Therefore, research has focused on indirectly activating the CB1R by utilizing positive allosteric modulators (PAMs). Studies have shown that CB1R PAMs (ZCZ011 and GAT211) are effective in mouse models of Huntington's disease and neuropathic pain, and hence, we assess the therapeutic potential of ZCZ011 in a well-established mouse model of neuroHIV. The current study investigates the effect of chronic ZCZ011 treatment (14 days) on various behavioral paradigms and the endocannabinoid system in HIV-1 Tat transgenic female and male mice. Chronic ZCZ011 treatment (10 mg/kg) did not alter body mass, locomotor activity, or anxiety-like behavior regardless of sex or genotype. However, differential effects were noted in hot plate latency, motor coordination, and recognition memory in female mice only, with ZCZ011 treatment increasing hot plate latency and improving motor coordination and recognition memory. Only minor effects or no alterations were seen in the endocannabinoid system and related lipids except in the cerebellum, where the effect of ZCZ011 was more pronounced in female mice. Moreover, AEA and PEA levels in the cerebellum were positively correlated with improved motor coordination in female mice. In summary, these findings indicate that chronic ZCZ011 treatment has differential effects on antinociception, motor coordination, and memory, based on sex and HIV-1 Tat expression, making CB1R PAMs potential treatment options for HAND without the psychoactive side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barkha J. Yadav-Samudrala
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Hailey Dodson
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Shreya Ramineni
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Elizabeth Kim
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Justin L. Poklis
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Dai Lu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas A&M, College Station, Texas, United States of America
| | | | - Aron H. Lichtman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Sylvia Fitting
- Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
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Díaz-Rodríguez SM, Herrero-Turrión MJ, García-Peral C, Gómez-Nieto R. Delving into the significance of the His289Tyr single-nucleotide polymorphism in the glutamate ionotropic receptor kainate-1 ( Grik1) gene of a genetically audiogenic seizure model. Front Mol Neurosci 2024; 16:1322750. [PMID: 38249292 PMCID: PMC10797026 DOI: 10.3389/fnmol.2023.1322750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 12/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Genetic abnormalities affecting glutamate receptors are central to excitatory overload-driven neuronal mechanisms that culminate in seizures, making them pivotal targets in epilepsy research. Increasingly used to advance this field, the genetically audiogenic seizure hamster from Salamanca (GASH/Sal) exhibits generalized seizures triggered by high-intensity acoustic stimulation and harbors significant genetic variants recently identified through whole-exome sequencing. Here, we addressed the influence of the missense single-nucleotide polymorphism (C9586732T, p.His289Tyr) in the glutamate receptor ionotropic kainate-1 (Grik1) gene and its implications for the GASH/Sal seizure susceptibility. Using a protein 3D structure prediction, we showed a potential effect of this sequence variation, located in the amino-terminal domain, on the stability and/or conformation of the kainate receptor subunit-1 protein (GluK1). We further employed a multi-technique approach, encompassing gene expression analysis (RT-qPCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry in bright-field and confocal fluorescence microscopy, to investigate critical seizure-associated brain regions in GASH/Sal animals under seizure-free conditions compared to matched wild-type controls. We detected disruptions in the transcriptional profile of the Grik1 gene within the audiogenic seizure-associated neuronal network. Alterations in GluK1 protein levels were also observed in various brain structures, accompanied by an unexpected lower molecular weight band in the inferior and superior colliculi. This correlated with substantial disparities in GluK1-immunolabeling distribution across multiple brain regions, including the cerebellum, hippocampus, subdivisions of the inferior and superior colliculi, and the prefrontal cortex. Notably, the diffuse immunolabeling accumulated within perikarya, axonal fibers and terminals, exhibiting a prominent concentration in proximity to the cell nucleus. This suggests potential disturbances in the GluK1-trafficking mechanism, which could subsequently affect glutamate synaptic transmission. Overall, our study sheds light on the genetic underpinnings of seizures and underscores the importance of investigating the molecular mechanisms behind synaptic dysfunction in epileptic neural networks, laying a crucial foundation for future research and therapeutic strategies targeting GluK1-containing kainate receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M. Díaz-Rodríguez
- Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - M. Javier Herrero-Turrión
- Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Neurological Tissue Bank INCYL (BTN-INCYL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Carlos García-Peral
- Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ricardo Gómez-Nieto
- Institute of Neuroscience of Castilla y León (INCYL), University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
- Institute for Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Department of Cell Biology and Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
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New Psychoactive Substances: Major Groups, Laboratory Testing Challenges, Public Health Concerns, and Community-Based Solutions. J CHEM-NY 2023. [DOI: 10.1155/2023/5852315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Across communities worldwide, various new psychoactive substances (NPSs) continue to emerge, which worsens the challenges to global mental health, drug rules, and public health risks, as well as combats their usage. Specifically, the vast number of NPSs that are currently available, coupled with the rate at which new ones emerge worldwide, increasingly challenges both forensic and clinical testing strategies. The well-established NPS detection techniques include immunoassays, colorimetric tests, mass spectrometric techniques, chromatographic techniques, and hyphenated types. Nonetheless, mitigating drug abuse and NPS usage is achievable through extensive community-based initiatives, with increased focus on harm reduction. Clinically validated and reliable testing of NPS from human samples, along with community-driven solution, such as harm reduction, will be of great importance, especially in combating their prevalence and the use of other illicit synthetic substances. There is a need for continued literature synthesis to reiterate the importance of NPS, given the continuous emergence of illicit substances in the recent years. All these are discussed in this overview, as we performed another look into NPS, from differentiating the major groups and identifying with laboratory testing challenges to community-based initiatives.
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Cannabidiol attenuates generalized tonic-clonic and suppresses limbic seizures in the genetically epilepsy-prone rats (GEPR-3) strain. Pharmacol Rep 2023; 75:166-176. [PMID: 36195689 DOI: 10.1007/s43440-022-00416-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/23/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cannabidiol (CBD) has been of rapidly growing interest in the epilepsy research field due to its antiseizure properties in preclinical models and patients with pharmacoresistant epilepsy. However, little is known about CBD effects in genetic models of epilepsies. Here we assessed CBD dose-response effects in the Genetically Epilepsy Prone Rats (GEPR-3) strain, which exhibits two types of epileptic seizures, brainstem-dependent generalized tonic-clonic seizures and limbic seizures. METHODS GEPR-3 s were submitted to the audiogenic seizure (AGS) protocol. Acute AGS are brainstem-dependent generalized tonic-clonic, while repeated AGS (or audiogenic kindling, AK), an epileptogenic process, leads to increased AGS severity and limbic seizure expression. Therefore, two different dose-response studies were performed, one for generalized tonic-clonic seizures and the other for limbic seizures. CBD time-course effects were assessed 2, 4, and 6 h after drug injection. GEPR-3 s were submitted to within-subject tests, receiving intraperitoneal injections of CBD (1, 10, 50, 100 mg/kg/ml) and vehicle. RESULTS CBD dose-dependently attenuated generalized tonic-clonic seizures in GEPR-3 s; CBD 50 and 100 mg/kg reduced brainstem-dependent seizure severity and duration. In fully kindled GEPR-3 s, CBD 10 mg/kg reduced limbic seizure severity and suppressed limbic seizure expression in 75% of animals. CONCLUSIONS CBD was effective against brainstem and limbic seizures in the GEPR-3 s. These results support the use of CBD treatment for epilepsies by adding new information about the pharmacological efficacy of CBD in suppressing inherited seizure susceptibility in the GEPR-3 s.
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Epps SA. Commonalities for comorbidity: Overlapping features of the endocannabinoid system in depression and epilepsy. Front Psychiatry 2022; 13:1041460. [PMID: 36339877 PMCID: PMC9626804 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2022.1041460] [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: 09/10/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A wealth of clinical and pre-clinical data supports a bidirectional comorbidity between depression and epilepsy. This suggests commonalities in underlying mechanisms that may serve as targets for more effective treatment strategies. Unfortunately, many patients with this comorbidity are highly refractory to current treatment strategies, while others experience a worsening of one arm of the comorbidity when treating the other arm. This highlights the need for novel pharmaceutical targets that may provide safe and effective relief for both depression and epilepsy symptoms. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) of the brain has become an area of intense interest for possible roles in depression and epilepsy. Several existing literature reviews have provided in-depth analysis of the involvement of various aspects of the ECS in depression or epilepsy separately, while others have addressed the effectiveness of different treatment strategies targeting the ECS in either condition individually. However, there is not currently a review that considers the ECS when both conditions are comorbid. This mini-review will address areas of common overlap between the ECS in depression and in epilepsy, such as commonalities in endocannabinoids themselves, their receptors, and degradative enzymes. These areas of overlap will be discussed alongside their implications for treatment of this challenging comorbidity.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Alisha Epps
- Department of Psychology, Whitworth University, Spokane, WA, United States
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Licitra R, Martinelli M, Petrocchi Jasinski L, Marchese M, Kiferle C, Fronte B. In Vivo Evaluation of Cannabis sativa Full Extract on Zebrafish Larvae Development, Locomotion Behavior and Gene Expression. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14121224. [PMID: 34959625 PMCID: PMC8705266 DOI: 10.3390/ph14121224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Revised: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Historically, humans have been using Cannabis sativa for both recreational and medical purposes. Nowadays, cannabis-based products have gained scientific interest due to their beneficial effects on several syndromes and illnesses. The biological activity of cannabinoids is essentially due to the interaction with the endocannabinoid system, and zebrafish (Danio rerio) is a very well-known and powerful in vivo model for studying such specific interactions. The aim of the study was to investigate the effects of different doses of a Cannabis sativa whole extract [dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)] on zebrafish eggs’ hatchability, embryo post-hatching survival, larvae locomotion behavior and mRNA gene expression. The results showed the absence of toxicity, and no significant differences were observed between treatments for both embryo hatching and survival rate. In addition, larvae exposed to the cannabis extract at the highest dose [containing 1.73 nM and 22.3 nM of ∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), respectively] showed an increased locomotion compared to the control and DMSO treated groups. Moreover, qRT-PCR analysis showed that the highest dosage of cannabis induced an over-expression of cnr1 and cnr2 cannabinoid receptors. In conclusion, the exposition of zebrafish larvae to the whole extract of Cannabis sativa showed no negative effects on embryo development and survival and enhanced the larvae’s locomotor performances. These findings may open up possible Cannabis sativa applications in human pharmacology as well as in other animal sectors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Licitra
- Molecular Medicine and Neurobiology—ZebraLab, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy;
| | - Marco Martinelli
- PlantLab, Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (M.M.); (C.K.)
| | | | - Maria Marchese
- Molecular Medicine and Neurobiology—ZebraLab, IRCCS Fondazione Stella Maris, 56128 Pisa, Italy;
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (B.F.)
| | - Claudia Kiferle
- PlantLab, Institute of Life Sciences, Scuola Superiore Sant’Anna, 56124 Pisa, Italy; (M.M.); (C.K.)
| | - Baldassare Fronte
- Department of Veterinary Science, University of Pisa, 56124 Pisa, Italy;
- Correspondence: (M.M.); (B.F.)
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Echeazarra L, García Del Caño G, Barrondo S, González-Burguera I, Saumell-Esnaola M, Aretxabala X, López de Jesús M, Borrega-Román L, Mato S, Ledent C, Matute C, Goicolea MA, Sallés J. Fit-for-purpose based testing and validation of antibodies to amino- and carboxy-terminal domains of cannabinoid receptor 1. Histochem Cell Biol 2021; 156:479-502. [PMID: 34453219 PMCID: PMC8604870 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-021-02025-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Specific and selective anti-CB1 antibodies are among the most powerful research tools to unravel the complex biological processes mediated by the CB1 receptor in both physiological and pathological conditions. However, low performance of antibodies remains a major source of inconsistency between results from different laboratories. Using a variety of techniques, including some of the most commonly accepted ones for antibody specificity testing, we identified three of five commercial antibodies against different regions of CB1 receptor as the best choice for specific end-use purposes. Specifically, an antibody against a long fragment of the extracellular amino tail of CB1 receptor (but not one against a short sequence of the extreme amino-terminus) detected strong surface staining when applied to live cells, whereas two different antibodies against an identical fragment of the extreme carboxy-terminus of CB1 receptor (but not one against an upstream peptide) showed acceptable performance on all platforms, although they behaved differently in immunohistochemical assays depending on the tissue fixation procedure used and showed different specificity in Western blot assays, which made each of them particularly suitable for one of those techniques. Our results provide a framework to interpret past and future results derived from the use of different anti-CB1 antibodies in the context of current knowledge about the CB1 receptor at the molecular level, and highlight the need for an adequate validation for specific purposes, not only before antibodies are placed on the market, but also before the decision to discontinue them is made.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leyre Echeazarra
- Departament of Physiology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.,Bioaraba, Dispositivos Móviles para el Control de Enfermedades Crónicas, 01008, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Gontzal García Del Caño
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. .,Bioaraba, Neurofarmacología Celular y Molecular, 01008, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
| | - Sergio Barrondo
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), 28029, Madrid, Spain.,Bioaraba, Neurofarmacología Celular y Molecular, 01008, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Imanol González-Burguera
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.,Bioaraba, Neurofarmacología Celular y Molecular, 01008, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Miquel Saumell-Esnaola
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.,Bioaraba, Neurofarmacología Celular y Molecular, 01008, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Xabier Aretxabala
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Maider López de Jesús
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.,Bioaraba, Neurofarmacología Celular y Molecular, 01008, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Leire Borrega-Román
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.,Bioaraba, Neurofarmacología Celular y Molecular, 01008, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Susana Mato
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain.,Multiple Sclerosis and Other Demyelinating Diseases Unit, Biocruces Bizkaia, Barakaldo, Spain
| | | | - Carlos Matute
- Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine and Nursing, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Leioa, Spain.,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red sobre Enfermedades Neurodegenerativas (CIBERNED), Madrid, Spain.,Achucarro Basque Center for Neuroscience, Leioa, Spain
| | - María Aranzazu Goicolea
- Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
| | - Joan Sallés
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. .,Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Salud Mental (CIBERSAM), 28029, Madrid, Spain. .,Bioaraba, Neurofarmacología Celular y Molecular, 01008, Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain.
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