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Wingfield KK, Misic T, Jain K, McDermott CS, Abney NM, Richardson KT, Rubman MB, Beierle JA, Miracle SA, Sandago EJ, Baskin BM, Borrelli KN, Yao EJ, Wachman EM, Bryant CD. Spectrotemporal profiling of ultrasonic vocalizations during neonatal opioid withdrawal reveals a kappa opioid receptor component in female mice. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.02.601766. [PMID: 39005445 PMCID: PMC11244951 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.02.601766] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Opioid use during pregnancy can lead to negative infant health outcomes, including neonatal opioid withdrawal syndrome(NOWS). NOWS comprises gastrointestinal, autonomic nervous system, and neurological dysfunction that manifest during spontaneous withdrawal. Current treatments involve non-pharmacological and pharmacological interventions, however, there is no one standardized approach, in part because of variability in NOWS severity. To effectively model NOWS traits in mice, we used a third trimester-approximate opioid exposure paradigm, where neonatal inbred FVB/NJ and outbred Carworth Farms White(CFW) pups were injected twice-daily with morphine(10-15mg/kg, s.c.) or saline(0.9%, 20 ul/g, s.c.) from postnatal day(P) one to P14. We observed reduced body weight gain, hypothermia, thermal hyperalgesia, and increased ultrasonic vocalizations(USVs). Neonatal USVs are emitted exclusively in isolation to communicate distress and thus serve as a model behavior for affective states. On P14, we observed altered USV syllable profiles during spontaneous morphine withdrawal, including an increase in Complex 3 syllables in FVB/NJ females(but not males) and in CFW mice of both sexes. Brainstem transcriptomics revealed an upregulation of the kappa opioid receptor(Oprk1), whose activation has previously been shown to contribute to withdrawal-induced dysphoria. Treatment with the kappa opioid receptor(KOR) antagonist, nor-BNI(30 mg/kg, s.c.), significantly reduced USV emission in FVB/NJ females, but not FVB/NJ males during spontaneous morphine withdrawal. Furthermore, treatment with the KOR agonist, U50,488h(0.625 mg/kg, s.c.), was sufficient to increase USV emission on P10(both sexes) and on P14(females only) in FVB/NJ mice. Together, these results indicate a female-specific recruitment of the dynorphin/KOR system in neonatal opioid withdrawal symptom severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kelly K. Wingfield
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
- T32 Biomolecular Pharmacology Training Program, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA
| | - Teodora Misic
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Kaahini Jain
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Carly S. McDermott
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Nalia M. Abney
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Kayla T. Richardson
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
- Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
| | | | - Jacob A. Beierle
- T32 Biomolecular Pharmacology Training Program, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA
- Transformative Training Program in Addiction Science, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
| | - Sophia A. Miracle
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Emma J. Sandago
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Britahny M. Baskin
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
- T32 Training Program on Development of Medications for Substance Use Disorders Fellowship, Center for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University
| | - Kristyn N. Borrelli
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
- T32 Biomolecular Pharmacology Training Program, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston, MA USA
- Transformative Training Program in Addiction Science, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
- Graduate Program for Neuroscience, Boston University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Emily J. Yao
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
| | - Elisha M. Wachman
- Department of Pediatrics, Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine, Boston Medical Center, Boston MA USA
| | - Camron D. Bryant
- Laboratory of Addiction Genetics, Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA USA
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Estave PM, Albertson SE, Karkhanis AN, Jones SR. Co-targeting the kappa opioid receptor and dopamine transporter reduces motivation to self-administer cocaine and partially reverses dopamine system dysregulation. Sci Rep 2024; 14:6509. [PMID: 38499566 PMCID: PMC10948819 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-53463-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Cocaine disrupts dopamine (DA) and kappa opioid receptor (KOR) system activity, with long-term exposure reducing inhibiton of DA uptake by cocaine and increasing KOR system function. Single treatment therapies have not been successful for cocaine use disorder; therefore, this study focuses on a combination therapy targeting the dopamine transporter (DAT) and KOR. Sprague Dawley rats self-administered 5 days of cocaine (1.5 mg/kg/inf, max 40 inf/day, FR1), followed by 14 days on a progressive ratio (PR) schedule (0.19 mg/kg/infusion). Behavioral effects of individual and combined administration of phenmetrazine and nBNI were then examined using PR. Additionally, ex vivo fast scan cyclic voltammetry was then used to assess alterations in DA and KOR system activity in the nucleus accumbens before and after treatments. Chronic administration of phenmetrazine as well as the combination of phenmetrazine and nBNI-but not nBNI alone-significantly reduced PR breakpoints. In addition, the combination of phenmetrazine and nBNI partially reversed cocaine-induced neurodysregulations of the KOR and DA systems, indicating therapeutic benefits of targeting the DA and KOR systems in tandem. These data highlight the potential benefits of the DAT and KOR as dual-cellular targets to reduce motivation to administer cocaine and reverse cocaine-induced alterations of the DA system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paige M Estave
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake University Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Steven E Albertson
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake University Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA
| | - Anushree N Karkhanis
- Department of Psychology, Binghamton University - State University of New York, Binghamton, NY, 13902, USA
| | - Sara R Jones
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Wake University Forest School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd., Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA.
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3
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Cea Salazar VI, Perez MD, Robison AJ, Trainor BC. Impacts of sex differences on optogenetic, chemogenetic, and calcium-imaging tools. Curr Opin Neurobiol 2024; 84:102817. [PMID: 38042130 DOI: 10.1016/j.conb.2023.102817] [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: 09/05/2023] [Revised: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/04/2023]
Abstract
Technical innovation in neuroscience introduced powerful tools for measuring and manipulating neuronal activity via optical, chemogenetic, and calcium-imaging tools. These tools were initially tested primarily in male animals but are now increasingly being used in females as well. In this review, we consider how these tools may work differently in males and females. For example, we review sex differences in the metabolism of chemogenetic ligands and their downstream signaling effects. Optical tools more directly alter depolarization or hyperpolarization of neurons, but biological sex and gonadal hormones modulate synaptic inputs and intrinsic excitability. We review studies demonstrating that optogenetic manipulations are sometimes consistent across the rodent estrous cycle but within certain circuits; manipulations can vary across the ovarian cycle. Finally, calcium-imaging methods utilize genetically encoded calcium indicators to measure neuronal activity. Testosterone and estradiol can directly modulate calcium influx, and we consider these implications for interpreting the results of calcium-imaging studies. Together, our findings suggest that these neuroscientific tools may sometimes work differently in males and females and that users should be aware of these differences when applying these methods.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melvin D Perez
- Department of Physiology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - A J Robison
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA; Department of Physiology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA.
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Ma Q, Wonnacott S, Bailey SJ, Bailey CP. Sex Differences in Brain Region-Specific Activation of c-Fos following Kappa Opioid Receptor Stimulation or Acute Stress in Mice. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:15098. [PMID: 37894779 PMCID: PMC10606335 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242015098] [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: 08/29/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptors (KOPr) are involved in the response to stress. KOPr are also targets for the treatment of stress-related psychiatric disorders including depression, anxiety, and addiction although effects of KOPr are often sex-dependent. Here we investigated c-Fos expression in a range of brain regions in male and female mice following an acute stressor, and a single injection of KOPr agonist. Using adult C57BL/6 c-Fos-GFP transgenic mice and quantitative fluorescence microscopy, we identified brain regions activated in response to a challenge with the KOPr agonist U50,488 (20 mg/kg) or an acute stress (15 min forced swim stress, FSS). In male mice, U50,488 increased expression of c-Fos in the prelimbic area of the prefrontal cortex (PFCx), nucleus accumbens (NAcc), and basolateral nuclei of the amygdala (BLA). In contrast, in female mice U50,488 only activated the BLA but not the PFCx or the NAcc. FSS increased activation of PFCx, NAcc, and BLA in males while there was no activation of the PFCx in female mice. In both sexes, the KOPr antagonist norBNI significantly blocked U50,488-induced, but not stress-induced activation of brain regions. In separate experiments, activated cells were confirmed as non-GABAergic neurons in the PFCx and NAcc. Together these data demonstrate sex differences in activation of brain regions that are key components of the 'reward' circuitry. These differential responses may contribute to sex differences in stress-related psychiatric disorders and in the treatment of depression, anxiety, and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sarah J. Bailey
- Correspondence: (S.J.B.); (C.P.B.); Tel.: +44-(0)1225-383-935 (C.P.B.)
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Zhang J, Lu Y, Jia M, Bai Y, Sun L, Dong Z, Tian W, Yin F, Wei S, Wang Y. Kappa opioid receptor in nucleus accumbens regulates depressive-like behaviors following prolonged morphine withdrawal in mice. iScience 2023; 26:107536. [PMID: 37636073 PMCID: PMC10448166 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.107536] [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: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Prolonged withdrawal from opioids leads to negative emotions. Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) plays an important role in opioid addiction and affective disorders. However, the underlying mechanism of KOR in withdrawal-related depression is still lacking. We found that escitalopram treatment had a limited effect in improving depression symptoms in heroin-dependent patients. In mice, we demonstrated prolonged (4 weeks) but not acute (24 h) withdrawal from morphine induced depressive-like behaviors. The number of c-Fos positive cells and the expression of KOR in the nucleus accumbens (NAc), were significantly increased in the prolonged morphine withdrawal mice. Conditional KOR knockdown in NAc significantly improved depressive-like behaviors. Repeated but not acute treatment with the KOR antagonist norBNI improved depressive-like behaviors and reversed PSD95, synaptophysin, p-ERK, p-CREB, and BDNF in NAc. This study demonstrated the important role of striatal KOR in morphine withdrawal-related depressive-like behaviors and offered therapeutic potential for the treatment of withdrawal-related depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyu Zhang
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
- College of Forensic Science, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Ye Lu
- College of Forensic Science, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Min Jia
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
- Shaanxi Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Yuying Bai
- College of Forensic Science, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Lulu Sun
- College of Forensic Science, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Ziqing Dong
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
- Shaanxi Belt and Road Joint Laboratory of Precision Medicine in Psychiatry, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Wenrong Tian
- College of Forensic Science, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Fangyuan Yin
- College of Forensic Science, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Shuguang Wei
- College of Forensic Science, School of Medicine, Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
| | - Yunpeng Wang
- Department of Psychiatry and Center for Brain Science, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710061, China
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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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Farahbakhsh ZZ, Song K, Branthwaite HE, Erickson KR, Mukerjee S, Nolan SO, Siciliano CA. Systemic kappa opioid receptor antagonism accelerates reinforcement learning via augmentation of novelty processing in male mice. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:857-868. [PMID: 36804487 PMCID: PMC10156709 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01547-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2022] [Revised: 01/20/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/19/2023]
Abstract
Selective inhibition of kappa opioid receptors (KORs) is highly anticipated as a pharmacotherapeutic intervention for substance use disorders and depression. The accepted explanation for KOR antagonist-induced amelioration of aberrant behaviors posits that KORs globally function as a negative valence system; antagonism thereby blunts the behavioral influence of negative internal states such as anhedonia and negative affect. While effects of systemic KOR manipulations have been widely reproduced, explicit evaluation of negative valence as an explanatory construct is lacking. Here, we tested a series of falsifiable hypotheses generated a priori based on the negative valence model by pairing reinforcement learning tasks with systemic pharmacological KOR blockade in male C57BL/6J mice. The negative valence model failed to predict multiple experimental outcomes: KOR blockade accelerated contingency learning during both positive and negative reinforcement without altering innate responses to appetitive or aversive stimuli. We next proposed novelty processing, which influences learning independent of valence, as an alternative explanatory construct. Hypotheses based on novelty processing predicted subsequent observations: KOR blockade increased exploration of a novel, but not habituated, environment and augmented the reinforcing efficacy of novel visual stimuli in a sensory reinforcement task. Together, these results revise and extend long-standing theories of KOR system function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Z Farahbakhsh
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Keaton Song
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Hannah E Branthwaite
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Kirsty R Erickson
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Snigdha Mukerjee
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Suzanne O Nolan
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA
| | - Cody A Siciliano
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Brain Institute, Vanderbilt Center for Addiction Research, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37232, USA.
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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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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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Abstract
Social stressors are known to have strong negative impacts on mental health. There is a long history of preclinical social defeat stress studies in rodents focusing on males that has produced important insights into the neural mechanisms that modulate depression- and anxiety-related behavior. Despite these impressive results, a historical weakness of rodent social stress models has been an under-representation of studies in females. This is problematic because rates of depression and anxiety are higher in women versus men. Recently there has been a surge of interest in adapting social stress methods for female rodents. Here we review new rodent models that have investigated numerous facets of social stress in females. The different models have different strengths and weaknesses, with some model systems having stronger ethological validity with other models having better access to molecular tools to manipulate neural circuits. Continued use and refinement of these complementary models will be critical for addressing gaps in understanding the function of neural circuits modulating depression- and anxiety-related behavior in females.
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Taylor AM, Chadwick CI, Mehrabani S, Hrncir H, Arnold AP, Evans CJ. Sex differences in kappa opioid receptor antinociception is influenced by the number of X chromosomes in mouse. J Neurosci Res 2022; 100:183-190. [PMID: 32731302 PMCID: PMC8452150 DOI: 10.1002/jnr.24704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Revised: 07/09/2020] [Accepted: 07/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) agonists produce robust analgesia with minimal abuse liability and are considered promising pharmacological agents to manage chronic pain and itch. The KOR system is also notable for robust differences between the sexes, with females exhibiting lower analgesic response than males. Sexually dimorphic traits can be due to either the influence of gonadal hormones during development or adulthood, or due to the complement of genes expressed on the X or Y chromosome. Previous studies examining sex differences in KOR antinociception have relied on surgical or pharmacological manipulation of the gonads to determine whether sex hormones influence KOR function. While there are conflicting reports whether gonadal hormones influence KOR function, no study has examined these effects in context with sex chromosomes. Here, we use two genetic mouse models, the four core genotypes and XY*, to isolate the chromosomal and hormonal contributions to sex differences in KOR analgesia. Mice were treated with systemic KOR agonist (U50,488H) and thermal analgesia measured in the tail withdrawal assay. We found that KOR antinociception was influenced predominantly by the number of the X chromosomes. These data suggest that the dose and/or parental imprint on X gene(s) contribute significantly to the sexually dimorphism in KOR analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna M.W. Taylor
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada,Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Caylin I. Chadwick
- Neuroscience and Mental Health Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada
| | - Sadaf Mehrabani
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Haley Hrncir
- Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Arthur P. Arnold
- Integrative Biology and Physiology, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Christopher J. Evans
- Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
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12
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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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13
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Martin EL, Doncheck EM, Reichel CM, McRae-Clark AL. Consideration of sex as a biological variable in the translation of pharmacotherapy for stress-associated drug seeking. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 15:100364. [PMID: 34345636 PMCID: PMC8319013 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 06/23/2021] [Accepted: 07/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress is a frequent precipitant of relapse to drug use. Pharmacotherapies targeting a diverse array of neural systems have been assayed for efficacy in attenuating stress-induced drug-seeking in both rodents and in humans, but none have shown enough evidence of utility to warrant routine use in the clinic. We posit that a critical barrier in effective translation is inattention to sex as a biological variable at all phases of the research process. In this review, we detail the neurobiological systems implicated in stress-induced relapse to cocaine, opioids, methamphetamine, and cannabis, as well as the pharmacotherapies that have been used to target these systems in rodent models, the human laboratory, and in clinical trials. In each of these areas we additionally describe the potential influences of biological sex on outcomes, and how inattention to fundamental sex differences can lead to biases during drug development that contribute to the limited success of large clinical trials. Based on these observations, we determine that of the pharmacotherapies discussed only α2-adrenergic receptor agonists and oxytocin have a body of research with sufficient consideration of biological sex to warrant further clinical evaluation. Pharmacotherapies that target β-adrenergic receptors, other neuroactive peptides, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, neuroactive steroids, and the endogenous opioid and cannabinoid systems require further assessment in females at the preclinical and human laboratory levels before progression to clinical trials can be recommended.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erin L Martin
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Elizabeth M Doncheck
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Carmela M Reichel
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
| | - Aimee L McRae-Clark
- Department of Neuroscience, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA
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14
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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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15
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Marchette RCN, Gregory-Flores A, Tunstall BJ, Carlson ER, Jackson SN, Sulima A, Rice KC, Koob GF, Vendruscolo LF. κ-Opioid receptor antagonism reverses heroin withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia in male and female rats. Neurobiol Stress 2021; 14:100325. [PMID: 33997152 PMCID: PMC8095052 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2021.100325] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2020] [Revised: 03/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 10/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Although opioids are potent analgesics, a consequence of chronic opioid use is hyperalgesia during withdrawal, which may contribute to opioid misuse. Dynorphin, the endogenous ligand of κ-opioid receptors (KORs), is upregulated in opioid-dependent rats and in animal models of chronic pain. However, the role of KORs in opioid withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia remains to be determined. We hypothesized that KOR antagonism would reverse opioid withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia in opioid-dependent rats. Male and female Wistar rats received daily injections of heroin (2-6 mg/kg, SC) and were tested for mechanical sensitivity in the electronic von Frey test 4-6 h into withdrawal. Female rats required significantly more heroin than male rats to reach comparable levels of both heroin-induced analgesia and hyperalgesia (6 mg/kg vs. 2 mg/kg). Once hyperalgesia was established, we tested the effects of the KOR antagonists nor-binaltorphimine (norBNI; 30 mg/kg, SC) and 5'-guanidinonaltrindole (5'GNTI; 30 mg/kg, SC). When the animals continued to receive their daily heroin treatment (or saline treatment in the repeated saline group) five times per week throughout the experiment, both KOR antagonists reversed heroin withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia. The anti-hyperalgesia effect of norBNI was more prolonged in males than in females (14 days vs. 7 days), whereas 5'GNTI had more prolonged effects in females than in males (14 days vs. 4 days). The behavioral effects of 5'GNTI coincided with higher 5'GNTI levels in the brain than in plasma when measured at 24 h, whereas 5'GNTI did not reverse hyperalgesia at 30 min posttreatment when 5'GNTI levels were higher in plasma than in the brain. Finally, we tested the effects of 5'GNTI on naloxone-induced and spontaneous signs of opioid withdrawal and found no effect in either male or female rats. These findings indicate a functional role for KORs in heroin withdrawal-induced hyperalgesia that is observed in rats of both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata C N Marchette
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adriana Gregory-Flores
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Brendan J Tunstall
- Department of Pharmacology, Addiction Science, and Toxicology, The University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Erika R Carlson
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shelley N Jackson
- Structural Biology Core, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Agnieszka Sulima
- Drug Design and Synthesis Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Kenner C Rice
- Drug Design and Synthesis Section, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - George F Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Leandro F Vendruscolo
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Intramural Research Program, Baltimore, MD, USA
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16
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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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17
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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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18
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Zhang L, McCarthy DM, Eskow Jaunarajs KL, Biederman J, Spencer TJ, Bhide PG. Frontal Cortical Monoamine Release, Attention, and Working Memory in a Perinatal Nicotine Exposure Mouse Model Following Kappa Opioid Receptor Antagonism. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:483-496. [PMID: 32869057 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa238] [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: 04/27/2020] [Revised: 08/01/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Perinatal nicotine exposure (PNE) produces frontal cortical hypo-dopaminergic state and attention and working memory deficits consistent with neurodevelopmental disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Methylphenidate alleviates ADHD symptoms by increasing extracellular dopamine and noradrenaline. Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonism may be another mechanism to achieve the same results because KOR activation inhibits frontal cortical dopamine release. We administered the selective KOR antagonist norbinaltorphimine (norBNI) (20 mg/kg; intraperitoneal) or methylphenidate (0.75 mg/kg; intraperitoneal) to PNE mouse model and examined frontal cortical monoamine release, attention, and working memory. Both compounds increased dopamine and noradrenaline release but neither influenced serotonin release. Both compounds improved object-based attention and working memory in the PNE group, with norBNI's effects evident at 2.5 h and 5.5 h but absent at 24 h. Methylphenidate's effects were evident at 0.5 h but not at 2.5 h. norBNI's effects temporally coincided with frontal cortical c-Jun N-terminal kinase phosphorylation. norBNI did not alter tissue dopamine content in the nucleus accumbens, offering preliminary support for lack of reinforcement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Zhang
- Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | - Deirdre M McCarthy
- Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
| | | | - Joseph Biederman
- Pediatric Psychopharmacology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Thomas J Spencer
- Pediatric Psychopharmacology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Pradeep G Bhide
- Biomedical Sciences, Florida State University College of Medicine, Tallahassee, FL 32306, USA
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19
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Abstract
This paper is the forty-first consecutive installment of the annual anthological review of research concerning the endogenous opioid system, summarizing articles published during 2018 that studied the behavioral effects of molecular, pharmacological and genetic manipulation of opioid peptides and receptors as well as effects of opioid/opiate agonists and antagonists. The review is subdivided into the following specific topics: molecular-biochemical effects and neurochemical localization studies of endogenous opioids and their receptors (2), the roles of these opioid peptides and receptors in pain and analgesia in animals (3) and humans (4), opioid-sensitive and opioid-insensitive effects of nonopioid analgesics (5), opioid peptide and receptor involvement in tolerance and dependence (6), stress and social status (7), learning and memory (8), eating and drinking (9), drug abuse and alcohol (10), sexual activity and hormones, pregnancy, development and endocrinology (11), mental illness and mood (12), seizures and neurologic disorders (13), electrical-related activity and neurophysiology (14), general activity and locomotion (15), gastrointestinal, renal and hepatic functions (16), cardiovascular responses (17), respiration and thermoregulation (18), and immunological responses (19).
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard J Bodnar
- Department of Psychology and Neuropsychology Doctoral Sub-Program, Queens College, City University of New York, Flushing, NY, 11367, United States.
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20
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Reichard KL, Newton KA, Rivera ZMG, Sotero de Menezes PM, Schattauer SS, Land BB, Chavkin C. Regulation of Kappa Opioid Receptor Inactivation Depends on Sex and Cellular Site of Antagonist Action. Mol Pharmacol 2020; 98:548-558. [PMID: 32913138 DOI: 10.1124/molpharm.120.000124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
The prototypical member of the receptor-inactivating kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonists, norbinaltorphimine (norBNI), produces prolonged receptor inactivation by a cJun kinase mechanism. These antagonists have potential therapeutic utility in the treatment of stress disorders; however, additional preclinical characterization is necessary to understand important aspects of their action. In this study, we report that norBNI does not work as effectively in female mice as in males because of estrogen regulation of G protein receptor kinase (GRK); pretreatment of ovary-intact female mice with the selective GRK2/3 inhibitor, Compound 101, made females equally sensitive to norBNI as males. Prior observations suggested that in vivo treatment with norBNI does not produce long-lasting inhibition of KOR regulation of dopamine release in the nucleus accumbens. We assessed the persistence of norBNI receptor inactivation in subcellular compartments. Fast-scan cyclic voltammetry recordings confirmed that presynaptic inhibition of dopamine release by the KOR agonist U69,593 was not blocked by in vivo pretreatment with norBNI under conditions that prevented KOR-mediated aversion and analgesia. We employed a novel in vivo proxy sensor of KOR activation, adenovirus associated double floxed inverted-HyPerRed, and demonstrated that KOR activation stimulates cJun kinase-dependent reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in somatic regions of ventral tegmental area dopamine neurons, but did not activate ROS production in dopamine terminals. The compartment selective action helps explain how dopamine somatic, but not terminally expressed, KORs are inactivated by norBNI. These results further elucidate molecular signaling mechanisms mediating receptor-inactivating KOR antagonist action and advance medication development for this novel class of stress-resilience medications. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Kappa opioid receptor (KOR) antagonists are being developed as novel proresilience therapeutics for the treatment of mood and substance use disorders. This study showed that the long-acting KOR antagonists are affected by both the sex of the animal and the subcellular compartment in which the receptor is expressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathryn L Reichard
- Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S. ., S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Department of Pharmacology (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S.M. S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Graduate Program in Neuroscience (K.L.R., C.C.), Seattle, Washington
| | - Keionna A Newton
- Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S. ., S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Department of Pharmacology (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S.M. S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Graduate Program in Neuroscience (K.L.R., C.C.), Seattle, Washington
| | - Zeena M G Rivera
- Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S. ., S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Department of Pharmacology (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S.M. S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Graduate Program in Neuroscience (K.L.R., C.C.), Seattle, Washington
| | - Paulo M Sotero de Menezes
- Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S. ., S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Department of Pharmacology (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S.M. S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Graduate Program in Neuroscience (K.L.R., C.C.), Seattle, Washington
| | - Selena S Schattauer
- Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S. ., S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Department of Pharmacology (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S.M. S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Graduate Program in Neuroscience (K.L.R., C.C.), Seattle, Washington
| | - Benjamin B Land
- Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S. ., S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Department of Pharmacology (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S.M. S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Graduate Program in Neuroscience (K.L.R., C.C.), Seattle, Washington
| | - Charles Chavkin
- Neurobiology of Addiction, Pain, and Emotion (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S. ., S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Department of Pharmacology (K.L.R., K.A.N., Z.M.G.R., P.M.S.M. S.S.S., B.B.L., C.C.), University of Washington Graduate Program in Neuroscience (K.L.R., C.C.), Seattle, Washington
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21
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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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22
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Thompson Gray AD, Simonetti J, Adegboye F, Jones CK, Zurawski Z, Hamm HE. Sexual Dimorphism in Stress-induced Hyperthermia in SNAP25Δ3 mice, a mouse model with disabled Gβγ regulation of the exocytotic fusion apparatus. Eur J Neurosci 2020; 52:2815-2826. [PMID: 32449556 DOI: 10.1111/ejn.14836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2019] [Revised: 05/14/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Behavioral assays in the mouse can show marked differences between male and female animals of a given genotype. These differences identified in such preclinical studies may have important clinical implications. We recently made a mouse model with impaired presynaptic inhibition through Gβγ-SNARE signaling. Here, we examine the role of sexual dimorphism in the severity of the phenotypes of this model, the SNAP25Δ3 mouse. In males, we already reported that SNAP25Δ3 homozygotes demonstrated phenotypes in motor coordination, nociception, spatial memory and stress processing. We now report that while minimal sexually dimorphic effects were observed for the nociceptive, motor or memory phenotypes, large differences were observed in the stress-induced hyperthermia paradigm, with male SNAP25Δ3 homozygotes exhibiting an increase in body temperature subsequent to handling relative to wild-type littermates, while no such genotype-dependent effect was observed in females. This suggests sexually dimorphic mechanisms of Gβγ-SNARE signaling for stress processing or thermoregulation within the mouse. Second, we examined the effects of heterozygosity with respect to the SNAP25Δ3 mutation. Heterozygote SNAP25Δ3 animals were tested alongside homozygote and wild-type littermates in all of the aforementioned paradigms and displayed phenotypes similar to wild-type animals or an intermediate state. From this, we conclude that the SNAP25Δ3 mutation does not behave in an autosomal dominant manner, but rather displays incomplete dominance for many phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Justice Simonetti
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Feyisayo Adegboye
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Carrie K Jones
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Vanderbilt Center for Neuroscience Drug Discovery, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Zack Zurawski
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA.,Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Heidi E Hamm
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, USA
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Jacobson ML, Browne CA, Lucki I. Kappa Opioid Receptor Antagonists as Potential Therapeutics for Stress-Related Disorders. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2020; 60:615-636. [DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-010919-023317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Exposure to stressful stimuli activates kappa opioid receptor (KOR) signaling, a process known to produce aversion and dysphoria in humans and other species. This endogenous opioid system is dysregulated in stress-related disorders, specifically in major depressive disorder (MDD). These findings serve as the foundation for a growing interest in the therapeutic potential of KOR antagonists as novel antidepressants. In this review, data supporting the hypothesis of dysregulated KOR function in MDD are considered. The clinical data demonstrating the therapeutic efficacy and safety of selective and mixed opioid antagonists are then presented. Finally, the preclinical evidence illustrating the induction of behaviors relevant to the endophenotypes of MDD and KOR antagonist activity in stress-naïve and stress-exposed animals is evaluated. Overall, this review highlights the emergent literature supporting the pursuit of KOR antagonists as novel therapeutics for MDD and other stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moriah L. Jacobson
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Caroline A. Browne
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
| | - Irwin Lucki
- Department of Pharmacology & Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
- Department of Psychiatry, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland 20814, USA
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24
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Sukoff Rizzo SJ, McTighe S, McKinzie DL. Genetic Background and Sex: Impact on Generalizability of Research Findings in Pharmacology Studies. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2020; 257:147-162. [PMID: 31595415 DOI: 10.1007/164_2019_282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Animal models consisting of inbred laboratory rodent strains have been a powerful tool for decades, helping to unravel the underpinnings of biological problems and employed to evaluate potential therapeutic treatments in drug discovery. While inbred strains demonstrate relatively reliable and predictable responses, using a single inbred strain alone or as a background to a mutation is analogous to running a clinical trial in a single individual and their identical twins. Indeed, complex etiologies drive the most common human diseases, and a single inbred strain that is a surrogate of a single genome, or data generated from a single sex, is not representative of the genetically diverse patient populations. Further, pharmacological and toxicology data generated in otherwise healthy animals may not translate to disease states where physiology, metabolism, and general health are compromised. The purpose of this chapter is to provide guidance for improving generalizability of preclinical studies by providing insight into necessary considerations for introducing systematic variation within the study design, such as genetic diversity, the use of both sexes, and selection of appropriate age and disease model. The outcome of implementing these considerations should be that reproducibility and generalizability of significant results are significantly enhanced leading to improved clinical translation.
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25
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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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26
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Browne CA, Lucki I. Targeting opioid dysregulation in depression for the development of novel therapeutics. Pharmacol Ther 2019; 201:51-76. [PMID: 31051197 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2019.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Since the serendipitous discovery of the first class of modern antidepressants in the 1950's, all pharmacotherapies approved by the Food and Drug Administration for major depressive disorder (MDD) have shared a common mechanism of action, increased monoaminergic neurotransmission. Despite the widespread availability of antidepressants, as many as 50% of depressed patients are resistant to these conventional therapies. The significant length of time required to produce meaningful symptom relief with these medications, 4-6 weeks, indicates that other mechanisms are likely involved in the pathophysiology of depression which may yield more viable targets for drug development. For decades, no viable candidate target with a different mechanism of action to that of conventional therapies proved successful in clinical studies. Now several exciting avenues for drug development are under intense investigation. One of these emerging targets is modulation of endogenous opioid tone. This review will evaluate preclinical and clinical evidence pertaining to opioid dysregulation in depression, focusing on the role of the endogenous ligands endorphin, enkephalin, dynorphin, and nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) and their respective receptors, mu (MOR), delta (DOR), kappa (KOR), and the N/OFQ receptor (NOP) in mediating behaviors relevant to depression and anxiety. Finally, putative opioid based antidepressants that are under investigation in clinical trials, ALKS5461, JNJ-67953964 (formerly LY2456302 and CERC-501) and BTRX-246040 (formerly LY-2940094) will be discussed. This review will illustrate the potential therapeutic value of targeting opioid dysregulation in developing novel therapies for MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A Browne
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America
| | - Irwin Lucki
- Department of Pharmacology and Molecular Therapeutics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD 20814, United States of America.
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27
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Chavkin C, Cohen JH, Land BB. Repeated Administration of Norbinaltorphimine Produces Cumulative Kappa Opioid Receptor Inactivation. Front Pharmacol 2019; 10:88. [PMID: 30787880 PMCID: PMC6373456 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2019.00088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2018] [Accepted: 01/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Kappa receptor activation by dynorphins contributes to the anxiogenic, dysphoric, and cognitive disrupting effects of repeated stress, suggesting that kappa receptor antagonists might have therapeutic utility in the treatment of stress disorders. Three classes of kappa antagonists have been distinguished: non-selective, selective-competitive (readily reversible), and non-competitive (receptor-inactivating); however, which would be the most effective medication has not been established. To assess the utility of receptor inactivating antagonists, we tested the effects of a range of doses in both male and female mice. As previously established, the antinociceptive effects of the kappa agonist U50,488 were blocked by a single injection of the long-acting antagonist norbinatorphimine (norBNI) (10 mg/kg i.p.) in male mice. Ten to 20-fold lower doses of norBNI were ineffective after a single administration, but daily administration of 1.0 or 0.5 mg/kg for 5 days completely blocked U50,488 antinociceptive effects. Daily administration of 0.1 mg/kg norBNI produced slowly accumulating inhibition and completely blocked the antinociceptive effect of U50,488 after 20–30 days. Estrogen reduces female sensitivity to kappa opioid effects, but 30 days of 0.1 mg/kg norBNI completely blocked U50,488 analgesia in ovariectomized mice. Receptor inactivation in both male and female mice treated for 30 days with 0.1 mg/kg norBNI persisted for at least 1-week. These results suggest that receptor-inactivating kappa antagonists are effective in both males and females when given at 100-fold lower doses than typically administered in preclinical studies. The enhanced safety of this low-dosing protocol has important clinical implications if receptor inactivating kappa antagonists advance in medication development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charles Chavkin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Joshua H Cohen
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Benjamin B Land
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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28
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Wright EC, Parks TV, Alexander JO, Supra R, Trainor BC. Activation of kappa opioid receptors in the dorsal raphe have sex dependent effects on social behavior in California mice. Behav Brain Res 2018; 351:83-92. [PMID: 29768187 PMCID: PMC6120584 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2018.05.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 05/12/2018] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptor activation has been linked to stress and anxiety behavior, thus leading to kappa antagonists being popularized in research as potential anxiolytics. However, while these findings may hold true in standard models, the neuromodulatory effects of social defeat may change the behavioral outcome of kappa opioid receptor activation. Previous research has shown that social defeat can lead to hyperactivity of serotonergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus, and that inhibition of this increase blocks the social deficits caused by defeat. Kappa opioid receptor activation in the dorsal raphe nucleus works to decrease serotonergic activity. We injected the kappa opioid receptor U50,488 directly into the dorsal raphe nucleus of male and female, defeat and control adult California mice. Here we show evidence that U50,488 induces anxiety behavior in control male California mice, but helps relieve it in defeated males. Consistent with previous literature, we find little effect in females adding evidence that there are marked and important sex differences in the kappa opioid system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Wright
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Tiffany V Parks
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA; McGovern Institute for Brain Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Rajesh Supra
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA, USA.
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29
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Williams AV, Laman-Maharg A, Armstrong CV, Ramos-Maciel S, Minie VA, Trainor BC. Acute inhibition of kappa opioid receptors before stress blocks depression-like behaviors in California mice. Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2018; 86:166-174. [PMID: 29879438 PMCID: PMC6054130 DOI: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2018.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2018] [Revised: 06/02/2018] [Accepted: 06/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Kappa opioid receptors (KOR) are considered to be a promising therapeutic target for stress-induced psychiatric disorders such as anxiety and depression. Preclinical data show that KOR antagonists have greater efficacy if administered before stressful experiences as opposed to afterwards. However, almost all of these studies use long-acting antagonists, leaving it unclear whether inhibition of KOR after stress is required for efficacy. Here we show that administration of the short-acting KOR antagonist AZ-MTAB before episodes of social defeat stress block the induction of anhedonia (both males and females) and social avoidance responses (females) that persist two weeks after stress. In both males and females pre-stress AZ-MTAB treatment also blunted anticipatory autogrooming behavior immediately prior to the third episode of defeat. In contrast when AZ-MTAB was administered two weeks after defeat (immediately before behavior testing) in female California mice, it was ineffective at reversing anhedonia and social avoidance. These results suggest that short-acting KOR antagonists may have greater therapeutic potential if administered before exposure to psychosocial stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia V Williams
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Abigail Laman-Maharg
- Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Crystal V Armstrong
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | | | - Vanessa A Minie
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States; Neuroscience Graduate Group, University of California, Davis, Davis, CA, United States.
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30
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Estrogen Regulation of GRK2 Inactivates Kappa Opioid Receptor Signaling Mediating Analgesia, But Not Aversion. J Neurosci 2018; 38:8031-8043. [PMID: 30076211 DOI: 10.1523/jneurosci.0653-18.2018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Activation of κ opioid receptors (KORs) produces analgesia and aversion via distinct intracellular signaling pathways, but whether G protein-biased KOR agonists can be designed to have clinical utility will depend on a better understanding of the signaling mechanisms involved. We found that KOR activation produced conditioned place aversion and potentiated CPP for cocaine in male and female C57BL/6N mice. Consistent with this, males and females both showed arrestin-mediated increases in phospho-p38 MAPK following KOR activation. Unlike in males, however, KOR activation had inconsistent analgesic effects in females and KOR increased Gβγ-mediated ERK phosphorylation in males, but not females. KOR desensitization was not responsible for the lack of response in females because neither Grk3 nor Pdyn gene knock-out enhanced analgesia. Instead, responsiveness was estrous cycle dependent because KOR analgesia was evident during low estrogen phases of the cycle and in ovariectomized (OVX) females. Estradiol treatment of OVX females suppressed KOR-mediated analgesia, demonstrating that estradiol was sufficient to blunt Gβγ-mediated KOR signals. G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 (GRK2) is known to regulate ERK activation, and we found that the inhibitory, phosphorylated form of GRK2 was significantly higher in intact females. GRK2/3 inhibition by CMPD101 increased KOR stimulation of phospho-ERK in females, decreased sex differences in KOR-mediated inhibition of dopamine release, and enhanced mu opioid receptor and KOR-mediated analgesia in females. In OVX females, estradiol increased the association between GRK2 and Gβγ. These studies suggest that estradiol, through increased phosphorylation of GRK2 and possible sequestration of Gβγ by GRK2, blunts G protein-mediated signals.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Chronic pain disorders are more prevalent in females than males, but opioid receptor agonists show inconsistent analgesic efficacy in females. κ opioid receptor (KOR) agonists have been tested in clinical trials for treating pain disorders based on their analgesic properties and low addictive potential. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying sex differences in KOR actions were previously unknown. Our studies identify an intracellular mechanism involving estradiol regulation of G protein-coupled receptor kinase 2 that is responsible for sexually dimorphic analgesic responses following opioid receptor activation. Understanding this mechanism will be critical for developing effective nonaddictive opioid analgesics for use in women and characterizing sexually dimorphic effects in other inhibitory G protein-coupled receptor signaling responses.
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31
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Jiang J, Peng Y, Liang X, Li S, Chang X, Li L, Chang M. Centrally Administered Cortistation-14 Induces Antidepressant-Like Effects in Mice via Mediating Ghrelin and GABA A Receptor Signaling Pathway. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:767. [PMID: 30072893 PMCID: PMC6060333 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00767] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2018] [Accepted: 06/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Cortistatin-14 (CST-14), a recently discovered cyclic neuropeptide, can bind to all five cloned somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) and ghrelin receptor to exert its biological activities and co-exists with GABA within the cortex and hippocampus. However, the role of CST-14 in the control of depression processes is not still clarified. Here, we tested the behavioral effects of CST-14 in the in a variety of classical rodent models of depression [forced swimming test (FST), tail suspension test (TST) and novelty-suppressed feeding test]. In the models of depression, CST-14 produced antidepressant-like effects, and does not altered locomotor activity levels. And, we found that CST-14 mRNA and BDNF mRNA were significantly decreased in the hippocampus and cortex after mice exposed to stress. Further data show that i.c.v. administration of CST-14 produce rapid antidepressant effects, and does not altered locomotor activity levels. Then these antidepressant-like effects were significantly reversed by [D-Lys3]GHRP-6 (ghrelin receptor antagonist), but not c-SOM (SSTRs antagonist). Meanwhile, the effects of some neurotransmitter blockers indicates that only GABAA system, but not CRF1 receptor, α/β-adrenergic receptor, is involved in the antidepressant effect of CST-14. The effects of the mTOR inhibitor (rapamycin), the PI3K inhibitor (LY294002) and the p-ERK1/2 inhibitor (U0126) suggesting that the ERK/mTOR or PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway is not involved in the antidepressant effects of CST-14. Interestingly, intranasal administration of CST-14 led to reducing depressive-like behavior, and near-infrared fluorescent experiments showed the real-time in vivo bio-distribution in brain after intranasal infusion of Cy7.5-CST-14. Taken all together, the results of present study point to a role for CST-14 in the modulation of depression processes via the ghrelin and GABAA receptor, and suggest cortistation may represent a novel strategy for the treatment of depression disorders. Highlights:CST-14 and BDNF mRNA are decreased in hippocampus and cortex once mice exposed to stress. i.c.v. or intranasal administration of CST-14 produce rapid antidepressant effects. NIR fluorescence imaging detected the brain uptake and distribution after intranasal CST-14. Antidepressant effects of CST-14 were only related to ghrelin and GABAA system. Co-injection of CST-14 and NPS produce antidepressant effect, and do not impair memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- JinHong Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - YaLi Peng
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - XueYa Liang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Shu Li
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Xin Chang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - LongFei Li
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
| | - Min Chang
- Key Laboratory of Preclinical Study for New Drugs of Gansu Province, School of Life Sciences, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou, China
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32
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Williams AV, Trainor BC. The impact of sex as a biological variable in the search for novel antidepressants. Front Neuroendocrinol 2018; 50:107-117. [PMID: 29859882 PMCID: PMC6139050 DOI: 10.1016/j.yfrne.2018.05.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2018] [Revised: 05/15/2018] [Accepted: 05/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
A roadblock to successful treatment for anxiety and depression is the high proportion of individuals that do not respond to existing treatments. Different underlying neurobiological mechanisms may drive similar symptoms, so a more personalized approach to treatment could be more successful. There is increasing evidence that sex is an important biological variable modulating efficacy of antidepressants and anxiolytics. We review evidence for sex-specific effects of traditional monoamine based antidepressants and newer pharmaceuticals targeting kappa opioid receptors (KOR), oxytocin receptors (OTR), and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (ketamine). In some cases, similar behavioral effects are observed in both sexes while in other cases strong sex-specific effects are observed. Most intriguing are cases such as ketamine which has similar behavioral effects in males and females, perhaps through sex-specific neurobiological mechanisms. These results show how essential it is to include both males and females in both clinical and preclinical evaluations of novel antidepressants and anxiolytics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexia V Williams
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
| | - Brian C Trainor
- Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, United States.
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33
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McHugh KL, Kelly JP. Modulation of the central opioid system as an antidepressant target in rodent models. PROGRESS IN BRAIN RESEARCH 2018; 239:49-87. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.pbr.2018.07.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
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