1
|
Reyes ST, Deacon RMJ, Guo SG, Altimiras FJ, Castillo JB, van der Wildt B, Morales AP, Park JH, Klamer D, Rosenberg J, Oberman LM, Rebowe N, Sprouse J, Missling CU, McCurdy CR, Cogram P, Kaufmann WE, Chin FT. Effects of the sigma-1 receptor agonist blarcamesine in a murine model of fragile X syndrome: neurobehavioral phenotypes and receptor occupancy. Sci Rep 2021; 11:17150. [PMID: 34433831 PMCID: PMC8387417 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-94079-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragile X syndrome (FXS), a disorder of synaptic development and function, is the most prevalent genetic form of intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder. FXS mouse models display clinically-relevant phenotypes, such as increased anxiety and hyperactivity. Despite their availability, so far advances in drug development have not yielded new treatments. Therefore, testing novel drugs that can ameliorate FXS' cognitive and behavioral impairments is imperative. ANAVEX2-73 (blarcamesine) is a sigma-1 receptor (S1R) agonist with a strong safety record and preliminary efficacy evidence in patients with Alzheimer's disease and Rett syndrome, other synaptic neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. S1R's role in calcium homeostasis and mitochondrial function, cellular functions related to synaptic function, makes blarcamesine a potential drug candidate for FXS. Administration of blarcamesine in 2-month-old FXS and wild type mice for 2 weeks led to normalization in two key neurobehavioral phenotypes: open field test (hyperactivity) and contextual fear conditioning (associative learning). Furthermore, there was improvement in marble-burying (anxiety, perseverative behavior). It also restored levels of BDNF, a converging point of many synaptic regulators, in the hippocampus. Positron emission tomography (PET) and ex vivo autoradiographic studies, using the highly selective S1R PET ligand [18F]FTC-146, demonstrated the drug's dose-dependent receptor occupancy. Subsequent analyses also showed a wide but variable brain regional distribution of S1Rs, which was preserved in FXS mice. Altogether, these neurobehavioral, biochemical, and imaging data demonstrates doses that yield measurable receptor occupancy are effective for improving the synaptic and behavioral phenotype in FXS mice. The present findings support the viability of S1R as a therapeutic target in FXS, and the clinical potential of blarcamesine in FXS and other neurodevelopmental disorders.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Samantha T Reyes
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Robert M J Deacon
- FRAXA-DVI, FRAXA, Santiago, Chile
- IEB, Faculty of Science, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Fraunhofer Chile Research, Center for Systems Biotechnology, Santiago, Chile
| | - Scarlett G Guo
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Francisco J Altimiras
- FRAXA-DVI, FRAXA, Santiago, Chile
- Faculty of Engineering and Business, Universidad de las Américas, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jessa B Castillo
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | | | - Aimara P Morales
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Jun Hyung Park
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Daniel Klamer
- Anavex Life Sciences Corp., New York, NY, 10019, USA
| | - Jarrett Rosenberg
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Lindsay M Oberman
- Center for Neuroscience & Regenerative Medicine, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Nell Rebowe
- Anavex Life Sciences Corp., New York, NY, 10019, USA
| | | | | | - Christopher R McCurdy
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32610, USA
| | - Patricia Cogram
- FRAXA-DVI, FRAXA, Santiago, Chile
- IEB, Faculty of Science, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Fraunhofer Chile Research, Center for Systems Biotechnology, Santiago, Chile
| | - Walter E Kaufmann
- Anavex Life Sciences Corp., New York, NY, 10019, USA.
- Department of Human Genetics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, 30322, USA.
| | - Frederick T Chin
- Department of Radiology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Reyes ST, Guo SG, Castillo JB, Wildt B, Morales AP, Park JH, Robowe N, Sprouse J, Missling CU, Chin FT. P4‐262: SIGMA‐1 RECEPTOR TARGET OCCUPANCY STUDY WITH DYNAMIC PET SCAN ANALYSIS OF ANAVEX
®
2‐73: A CLINICAL CANDIDATE FOR NEURODEGENERATIVE AND NEURODEVELOPMENTAL DISEASES. Alzheimers Dement 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jalz.2018.07.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Berend Wildt
- Stanford University School of MedicineStanfordCAUSA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|