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Gallo M, Moreno E, Defaus S, Ortega-Alvaro A, Gonzalez A, Robledo P, Cavaco M, Neves V, Castanho MARB, Casadó V, Pardo L, Maldonado R, Andreu D. Orally Active Peptide Vector Allows Using Cannabis to Fight Pain While Avoiding Side Effects. J Med Chem 2021; 64:6937-6948. [PMID: 33887904 PMCID: PMC8486167 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
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The
activation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1R) by Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the
main component of Cannabis sativa,
induces analgesia. CB1R activation, however, also causes
cognitive impairment via the serotonin 5HT2A receptor (5HT2AR), a component of a CB1R–5HT2AR heteromer, posing a serious drawback for cannabinoid therapeutic
use. We have shown that peptides reproducing CB1R transmembrane
(TM) helices 5 and 6, fused to a cell-penetrating sequence (CPP),
can alter the structure of the CB1R–5HT2AR heteromer and avert THC cognitive impairment while preserving analgesia.
Here, we report the optimization of these prototypes into drug-like
leads by (i) shortening the TM5, TM6, and CPP sequences, without losing
the ability to disturb the CB1R–5HT2AR heteromer, and (ii) extensive sequence remodeling to achieve protease
resistance and blood–brain barrier penetration. Our efforts
have culminated in the identification of an ideal candidate for cannabis-based
pain management, an orally active 16-residue peptide preserving THC-induced
analgesia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Gallo
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Estefanía Moreno
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sira Defaus
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Antonio Ortega-Alvaro
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Angel Gonzalez
- Laboratori de Medicina Computacional, Unitat de Bioestadística, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Patricia Robledo
- Integrative Pharmacology and Systems Neuroscience, IMIM-Hospital del Mar Research Institute, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Marco Cavaco
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Vera Neves
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel A R B Castanho
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Vicent Casadó
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biomedicine, Institute of Biomedicine, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Leonardo Pardo
- Laboratori de Medicina Computacional, Unitat de Bioestadística, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Rafael Maldonado
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Andreu
- Department of Experimental and Health Sciences, Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, 08003 Barcelona, Spain
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