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Krupp KT, Yaeger JDW, Ledesma LJ, Withanage MHH, Gale JJ, Howe CB, Allen TJ, Sathyanesan M, Newton SS, Summers CH. Single administration of a psychedelic [(R)-DOI] influences coping strategies to an escapable social stress. Neuropharmacology 2024; 252:109949. [PMID: 38636726 PMCID: PMC11073902 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2024.109949] [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: 01/26/2024] [Revised: 03/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024]
Abstract
Psychedelic compounds have potentially rapid, long-lasting anxiolytic, antidepressive and anti-inflammatory effects. We investigated whether the psychedelic compound (R)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine [(R)-DOI], a selective 5-HT2A receptor partial agonist, decreases stress-related behavior in male mice exposed to repeated social aggression. Additionally, we explored the likelihood that these behavioral changes are related to anti-inflammatory properties of [(R)-DOI]. Animals were subjected to the Stress Alternatives Model (SAM), an escapable social stress paradigm in which animals develop reactive coping strategies - remaining in the SAM arena (Stay) with a social aggressor, or dynamically initiated stress coping strategies that involve utilizing the escape holes (Escape) to avoid aggression. Mice expressing these behavioral phenotypes display behaviors like those in other social aggression models that separate animals into stress-vulnerable (as for Stay) or stress-resilient (as for Escape) groups, which have been shown to have distinct inflammatory responses to social stress. These results show that Stay animals have heightened cytokine gene expression, and both Stay and Escape mice exhibit plasma and neural concentrations of the inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα) compared to unstressed control mice. Additionally, these results suggest that a single administration of (R)-DOI to Stay animals in low doses, can increase stress coping strategies such as increasing attention to the escape route, promoting escape behavior, and reducing freezing during socially aggressive interaction in the SAM. Lower single doses of (R)-DOI, in addition to shifting behavior to suggest anxiolytic effects, also concomitantly reduce plasma and limbic brain levels of the inflammatory cytokine TNFα.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin T Krupp
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA; Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Jazmine D W Yaeger
- Veterans Affairs Research Service, Sioux Falls VA Health Care System, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105, USA; Pediatrics and Rare Diseases Group, Sanford Research, Sioux Falls, SD, 57104, USA
| | - Leighton J Ledesma
- Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA; Veterans Affairs Research Service, Sioux Falls VA Health Care System, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105, USA
| | | | - J J Gale
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA; Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Chase B Howe
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA
| | - Trevor J Allen
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA
| | - Monica Sathyanesan
- Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Samuel S Newton
- Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA
| | - Cliff H Summers
- Department of Biology, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, 57069, USA; Neuroscience Group, Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Sanford School of Medicine, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA; Veterans Affairs Research Service, Sioux Falls VA Health Care System, Sioux Falls, SD, 57105, USA.
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2
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Takaba R, Ibi D, Yoshida K, Hosomi E, Kawase R, Kitagawa H, Goto H, Achiwa M, Mizutani K, Maeda K, González-Maeso J, Kitagaki S, Hiramatsu M. Ethopharmacological evaluation of antidepressant-like effect of serotonergic psychedelics in C57BL/6J male mice. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024; 397:3019-3035. [PMID: 37874338 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02778-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Serotonergic psychedelics such as psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide, and DOI exert a hallucinatory effect through serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2A) activation. Recent studies have revealed that serotonergic psychedelics have therapeutic potential for neuropsychiatric disorders, including major depressive and anxiety-related disorders. However, the involvement of 5-HT2A in mediating the therapeutic effects of these drugs remains unclear. In this study, we ethopharmacologically analyzed the role of 5-HT2A in the occurrence of anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects of serotonergic psychedelics such as psilocin, an active metabolite of psilocybin, DOI, and TCB-2 in mice 24 h post-treatment. Mice with acute intraperitoneal psychedelic treatment exhibited significantly shorter immobility times in the forced swimming test (FST) and tail-suspension test (TST) than vehicle-treated control mice. These effects were eliminated by pretreatment with volinanserin, a 5-HT2A antagonist. Surprisingly, the decreasing immobility time in the FST in response to acute psilocin treatment was sustained for at least three weeks. In the novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT), the latency to feed, an indicator of anxiety-like behavior, was decreased by acute administration of psilocin; however, pretreatment with volinanserin did not diminish this effect. In contrast, DOI and TCB-2 did not affect the NSFT performance in mice. Furthermore, psilocin, DOI, and TCB-2 treatment did not affect the spontaneous locomotor activity or head-twitch response, a hallucination-like behavior in rodents. These results suggest that 5-HT2A contributes to the antidepressant effects of serotonergic psychedelics rather than anxiolytic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rika Takaba
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502.
| | - Daisuke Ibi
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502.
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502.
| | - Keisuke Yoshida
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502
| | - Eri Hosomi
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502
| | - Ririna Kawase
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502
| | - Hiroko Kitagawa
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502
| | - Hirotaka Goto
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502
| | - Mizuki Achiwa
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502
| | - Kento Mizutani
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502
| | - Kyosuke Maeda
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Shinji Kitagaki
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502
| | - Masayuki Hiramatsu
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Graduate School of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502.
- Department of Chemical Pharmacology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Meijo University, Nagoya, Japan, 468-8502.
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3
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Chen Z, Yu J, Wang H, Xu P, Fan L, Sun F, Huang S, Zhang P, Huang H, Gu S, Zhang B, Zhou Y, Wan X, Pei G, Xu HE, Cheng J, Wang S. Flexible scaffold-based cheminformatics approach for polypharmacological drug design. Cell 2024; 187:2194-2208.e22. [PMID: 38552625 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2024.02.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Effective treatments for complex central nervous system (CNS) disorders require drugs with polypharmacology and multifunctionality, yet designing such drugs remains a challenge. Here, we present a flexible scaffold-based cheminformatics approach (FSCA) for the rational design of polypharmacological drugs. FSCA involves fitting a flexible scaffold to different receptors using different binding poses, as exemplified by IHCH-7179, which adopted a "bending-down" binding pose at 5-HT2AR to act as an antagonist and a "stretching-up" binding pose at 5-HT1AR to function as an agonist. IHCH-7179 demonstrated promising results in alleviating cognitive deficits and psychoactive symptoms in mice by blocking 5-HT2AR for psychoactive symptoms and activating 5-HT1AR to alleviate cognitive deficits. By analyzing aminergic receptor structures, we identified two featured motifs, the "agonist filter" and "conformation shaper," which determine ligand binding pose and predict activity at aminergic receptors. With these motifs, FSCA can be applied to the design of polypharmacological ligands at other receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhangcheng Chen
- Key Laboratory of Multi-Cell Systems, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jing Yu
- Key Laboratory of Multi-Cell Systems, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Huan Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Peiyu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Luyu Fan
- Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Fengxiu Sun
- Key Laboratory of Multi-Cell Systems, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Sijie Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Pei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Multi-Cell Systems, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | | | - Shuo Gu
- ComMedX, Beijing 100094, China
| | | | - Yue Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Multi-Cell Systems, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | | | - Gang Pei
- Key Laboratory of Multi-Cell Systems, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - H Eric Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Center for Structure and Function of Drug Targets, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Jianjun Cheng
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai 201210, China.
| | - Sheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Multi-Cell Systems, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 200031, China; Key Laboratory of Systems Health Science of Zhejiang Province, School of Life Science, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China.
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Gao H, Liu X, Xie L, Tan B, Su R. Modulation of DOM-Induced Head-Twitch Response by mGluR2 Agonist/Inverse Agonist is Associated with 5-HT 2AR-Mediated G s Signaling Pathway. Neurochem Res 2024; 49:636-648. [PMID: 37989895 DOI: 10.1007/s11064-023-04055-y] [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: 05/16/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/21/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Hallucinogenic 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonists-induced head-twitch response (HTR) is regulated by Gs signaling pathway. Formation of heterodimers between 5-HT2AR and metabotropic glutamate mGlu2 receptor (mGluR2) is essential for the hallucinogenic 5-HT2AR agonist-induced HTR. In order to investigate the effects of mGluR2 agonists and inverse agonists on hallucinogenic 5-HT2AR agonists DOM-induced HTR, C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with mGluR2 agonists (LY379268, LY354740, LY404039) or the inverse agonist LY341495, and the HTR was manually counted after administering DOM immediately. IP-One (IP1) HTRF assay and cAMP assay were performed to evaluate the effect of LY341495 or LY354740 on DOM-induced Gq and Gs activation in Human Embryonic Kidney-293 (HEK-293) T-type cells co-expressing 5-HT2AR and mGluR2. The results showed that DOM-induced HTR in mice was dose-dependently inhibited by LY379268, LY354740, and LY404039, while it was dose-dependently enhanced by LY341495. Moreover, LY341495 reversed the inhibitory effect of LY354740 on DOM-induced HTR. In HEK-293T cells co-expressing 5-HT2AR and mGluR2, DOM-induced cAMP level was decreased by LY354740 and increased by LY341495, but DOM-induced IP1 level was not regulated by LY354740 or LY341495. The regulation of DOM-induced HTR by mGluR2 agonists and inverse agonists is closely related to 5-HT2AR-mediated Gs signaling pathway. In HEK-293T cells co-expressing 5-HT2AR and mGluR2 A677S/A681P/A685G mutant (mGluR2 3 A mutant), DOM-induced cAMP level was not regulated by LY354740, but was significantly enhanced by LY341495. The 5-HT2AR/mGluR2 heterodimers is critical for DOM-induced HTR and cAMP level, both of which are inhibited by mGluR2 agonists and enhanced by mGluR2 inverse agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huan Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing, China
- School of Pharmacy, Yantai University, Yantai, China
| | - Xiaoqian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing, China
| | - Lulu Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing, China
| | - Bo Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing, China.
| | - Ruibin Su
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Key Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, 27th Taiping Road, Beijing, China.
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Hashimoto K. Are "mystical experiences" essential for antidepressant actions of ketamine and the classic psychedelics? Eur Arch Psychiatry Clin Neurosci 2024:10.1007/s00406-024-01770-7. [PMID: 38411629 DOI: 10.1007/s00406-024-01770-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
The growing interest in the rapid and sustained antidepressant effects of the dissociative anesthetic ketamine and classic psychedelics, such as psilocybin, is remarkable. However, both ketamine and psychedelics are known to induce acute mystical experiences; ketamine can cause dissociative symptoms such as out-of-body experience, while psychedelics typically bring about hallucinogenic experiences, like a profound sense of unity with the universe or nature. The role of these mystical experiences in enhancing the antidepressant outcomes for patients with depression is currently an area of ongoing investigation and debate. Clinical studies have shown that the dissociative symptoms following the administration of ketamine or (S)-ketamine (esketamine) are not directly linked to their antidepressant properties. In contrast, the antidepressant potential of (R)-ketamine (arketamine), thought to lack dissociative side effects, has yet to be conclusively proven in large-scale clinical trials. Moreover, although the activation of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor is crucial for the hallucinogenic effects of psychedelics in humans, its precise role in their antidepressant action is still under discussion. This article explores the importance of mystical experiences in enhancing the antidepressant efficacy of both ketamine and classic psychedelics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenji Hashimoto
- Division of Clinical Neuroscience, Chiba University Center for Forensic Mental Health, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan.
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Jaster AM, González-Maeso J. Mechanisms and molecular targets surrounding the potential therapeutic effects of psychedelics. Mol Psychiatry 2023; 28:3595-3612. [PMID: 37759040 DOI: 10.1038/s41380-023-02274-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Psychedelics, also known as classical hallucinogens, have been investigated for decades due to their potential therapeutic effects in the treatment of neuropsychiatric and substance use disorders. The results from clinical trials have shown promise for the use of psychedelics to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as to promote substantial decreases in the use of nicotine and alcohol. While these studies provide compelling evidence for the powerful subjective experience and prolonged therapeutic adaptations, the underlying molecular reasons for these robust and clinically meaningful improvements are still poorly understood. Preclinical studies assessing the targets and circuitry of the post-acute effects of classical psychedelics are ongoing. Current literature is split between a serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR)-dependent or -independent signaling pathway, as researchers are attempting to harness the mechanisms behind the sustained post-acute therapeutically relevant effects. A combination of molecular, behavioral, and genetic techniques in neuropharmacology has begun to show promise for elucidating these mechanisms. As the field progresses, increasing evidence points towards the importance of the subjective experience induced by psychedelic-assisted therapy, but without further cross validation between clinical and preclinical research, the why behind the experience and its translational validity may be lost.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
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7
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Saha S, González-Maeso J. The crosstalk between 5-HT 2AR and mGluR2 in schizophrenia. Neuropharmacology 2023; 230:109489. [PMID: 36889432 PMCID: PMC10103009 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuropharm.2023.109489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Revised: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Schizophrenia is a severe brain disorder that usually produces a lifetime of disability. First generation or typical antipsychotics such as haloperidol and second generation or atypical antipsychotics such as clozapine and risperidone remain the current standard for schizophrenia treatment. In some patients with schizophrenia, antipsychotics produce complete remission of positive symptoms, such as hallucinations and delusions. However, antipsychotic drugs are ineffective against cognitive deficits and indeed treated schizophrenia patients have small improvements or even deterioration in several cognitive domains. This underlines the need for novel and more efficient therapeutic targets for schizophrenia treatment. Serotonin and glutamate have been identified as key parts of two neurotransmitter systems involved in fundamental brain processes. Serotonin (or 5-hydroxytryptamine) 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) and metabotropic glutamate 2 receptor (mGluR2) are G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) that interact at epigenetic and functional levels. These two receptors can form GPCR heteromeric complexes through which their pharmacology, function and trafficking becomes affected. Here we review past and current research on the 5-HT2AR-mGluR2 heterocomplex and its potential implication in schizophrenia and antipsychotic drug action. This article is part of the Special Issue on "The receptor-receptor interaction as a new target for therapy".
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Affiliation(s)
- Somdatta Saha
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
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8
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Hossain M, Sulochana SP, Heath KE, Bari SMI, Brewster P, Barnes J, Munivar A, Walker GM, Puleo DA, Werfel TA. Interval delivery of 5HT 2A agonists using multilayered polymer films. J Biomed Mater Res A 2023; 111:790-800. [PMID: 36606344 PMCID: PMC10101876 DOI: 10.1002/jbm.a.37497] [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: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 12/07/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
There is an urgent unmet medical need to develop therapeutic options for the ~50% of depression patients suffering from treatment-resistant depression, which is difficult to treat with existing psycho- and pharmaco-therapeutic options. Classical psychedelics, such as the 5HT2A agonists, have re-emerged as a treatment paradigm for depression. Recent clinical trials highlight the potential effectiveness of 5HT2A agonists to improve mood and psychotherapeutic growth in treatment-resistant depression patients, even in those who have failed a median of four previous medications in their lifetime. Moreover, microdosing could be a promising way to achieve long-term alleviation of depression symptoms without a hallucinogenic experience. However, there are a gamut of practical barriers that stymie further investigation of microdosing 5HT2A agonists, including: low compliance with the complicated dosing regimen, high risk of diversion of controlled substances, and difficulty and cost administering the long-term treatment regimens in controlled settings. Here, we developed a drug delivery system composed of multilayered cellulose acetate phthalate (CAP)/Pluronic F-127 (P) films for the encapsulation and interval delivery of 5HT2A agonists from a fully biodegradable and biocompatible implant. CAPP film composition, thickness, and layering strategies were optimized, and we demonstrated three distinct pulses from the multilayered CAPP films in vitro. Additionally, the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of the 5HT2A agonist 2,5-Dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI) were quantified following the subcutaneous implantation of DOI-loaded single and multilayered CAPP films. Our results demonstrate, for the first time, the interval delivery of psychedelics from an implantable drug delivery system and open the door to future studies into the therapeutic potential of psychedelic delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehjabeen Hossain
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
| | - Suresh P Sulochana
- Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Natural Products Neuroscience, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
| | - Katie E Heath
- Center of Biomedical Research Excellence in Natural Products Neuroscience, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
| | | | - Parker Brewster
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
| | - Jared Barnes
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
| | - Azim Munivar
- Research and Development, BioHaven Pharmaceuticals, Inc, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Glenn M Walker
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
| | - David A Puleo
- Office of the Provost, The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama, USA
| | - Thomas A Werfel
- Department of BioMolecular Sciences, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA.,Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA.,Cancer Center and Research Institute, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson, Mississippi, USA.,Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Mississippi, University, Mississippi, USA
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9
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Alper K, Cange J, Sah R, Schreiber-Gregory D, Sershen H, Vinod KY. Psilocybin sex-dependently reduces alcohol consumption in C57BL/6J mice. Front Pharmacol 2023; 13:1074633. [PMID: 36686713 PMCID: PMC9846572 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1074633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The classical psychedelic psilocybin is of interest as a treatment for alcohol use disorder (AUD). This study investigated the effects of psilocybin on voluntary ethanol consumption in adult male and female C57BL/6J mice administered saline or psilocybin intraperitoneally as a single dose of 0.1, 0.5, 1.0 or 2.0 mg/kg and provided 20% ethanol utilizing a two-bottle choice alcohol drinking paradigm. Ethanol was provided continuously for 3 days immediately following the administration of psilocybin, then withheld for 2 days, and then provided continuously for two subsequent additional days. A multilevel model (MLM) for repeated measures was used to compare ethanol consumption and preference in psilocybin-treated groups versus controls. Ethanol consumption and preference were reduced in male mice during the 3-day interval that immediately followed psilocybin administration. The effect of psilocybin on ethanol consumption was dose-related and was consistent across the 3-day interval at dosages of 0.5 mg/kg or greater. Psilocybin had no effect on consumption or preference when ethanol was subsequently reintroduced after 2 days of withdrawal. In contrast to males, psilocybin had no significant effect on ethanol consumption or preference in female mice at any dosage or time point. The lack of an effect of psilocybin on quinine preference, and its limited interaction with locomotor activity indicated that the observed reduction in voluntary ethanol consumption was not attributable to altered taste perception or motor effects. Total fluid consumption was increased in males at some time points and psilocybin dosages and unchanged in females, and the absence of any decrease in either group at any time point indicated that the observed reduction in ethanol consumption was not mediated by nonspecific effects on consummatory behavior. The finding of a sex-dependent effect of psilocybin on ethanol consumption suggests that the C57BL/6J mouse may provide a useful experimental approach to modeling sex differences in vulnerability to AUD in addition to investigation of the neurobiological basis of the effect of classical psychedelics on alcohol drinking behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kenneth Alper
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,Department of Neurology, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,*Correspondence: Kenneth Alper, ; K. Yaragudri Vinod,
| | - Janelle Cange
- Division of Laboratory Animal Resources of Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, United States
| | - Ria Sah
- Department of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, United States
| | | | - Henry Sershen
- Department of Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,Department of Neurochemistry, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, United States
| | - K. Yaragudri Vinod
- Department of Analytical Psychopharmacology, Nathan Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research, Orangeburg, NY, United States,Emotional Brain Institute, Orangeburg, NY, United States,Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, NYU Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States,*Correspondence: Kenneth Alper, ; K. Yaragudri Vinod,
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10
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Jaster AM, González-Maeso J. Automated Detection of Psychedelic-Induced Head-Twitch Response in Mice. Methods Mol Biol 2023; 2687:65-76. [PMID: 37464163 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-3307-6_6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
Head-twitch response (HTR) allows for the detection and classification of behavior associated with serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) activation upon psychedelic administration in rodent models. This activation and functional output can be utilized to provide insights into molecular mechanisms associated with psychosis and to identify signaling processes related to existing and novel antipsychotic and psychedelic compounds. Here we describe the use of a magnetic ear tag reporter coupled with automated quantification and biphasic detection to identify HTR in mice treated with the classical psychedelic 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, USA
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Shahar O, Botvinnik A, Esh-Zuntz N, Brownstien M, Wolf R, Lotan A, Wolf G, Lerer B, Lifschytz T. Role of 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, 5-HT1A and TAAR1 Receptors in the Head Twitch Response Induced by 5-Hydroxytryptophan and Psilocybin: Translational Implications. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232214148. [PMID: 36430623 PMCID: PMC9698447 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232214148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
There is increasing interest in the therapeutic potential of psilocybin. In rodents, the serotonin precursor, 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) and psilocybin induce a characteristic 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR)-mediated head twitch response (HTR), which is correlated with the human psychedelic trip. We examined the role of other serotonergic receptors and the trace amine -associated receptor 1 (TAAR1) in modulating 5-HTP- and psilocybin-induced HTR. Male C57BL/6J mice (11 weeks, ~30 g) were administered 5-HTP, 50-250 mg/kg i.p., 200 mg/kg i.p. after pretreatment with 5-HT/TAAR1 receptor modulators, psilocybin 0.1-25.6 mg/kg i.p. or 4.4 mg/kg i.p., immediately preceded by 5-HT/TAAR1 receptor modulators. HTR was assessed in a custom-built magnetometer. 5-HTP and psilocybin induced a dose-dependent increase in the frequency of HTR over 20 min with attenuation by the 5-HT2AR antagonist, M100907, and the 5-HT1AR agonist, 8-OH-DPAT. The 5-HT2CR antagonist, RS-102221, enhanced HTR at lower doses but reduced it at higher doses. The TAAR1 antagonist, EPPTB, reduced 5-HTP- but not psilocybin-induced HTR. We have confirmed the key role of 5-HT2AR in HTR, an inhibitory effect of 5-HT1AR, a bimodal contribution of 5-HT2CR and a role of TAAR1 in modulating HTR induced by 5-HTP. Compounds that modulate psychedelic-induced HTR have important potential in the emerging therapeutic use of these compounds.
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12
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Jaster AM, Younkin J, Cuddy T, de la Fuente Revenga M, Poklis JL, Dozmorov MG, González-Maeso J. Differences across sexes on head-twitch behavior and 5-HT 2A receptor signaling in C57BL/6J mice. Neurosci Lett 2022; 788:136836. [PMID: 35963476 PMCID: PMC10114867 DOI: 10.1016/j.neulet.2022.136836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2022] [Revised: 07/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Psychedelics, also known as classical hallucinogens, affect processes related to perception, cognition and sensory processing mostly via the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR). This class of psychoactive substances, which includes lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), psilocybin, mescaline and the substituted amphetamine 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI), is receiving renewed attention for their potential therapeutic properties as it relates to psychiatric conditions such as depression and substance use disorders. Current studies focused on the potentially clinical effects of psychedelics on human subjects tend to exclude sex as a biological variable. Much of the understanding of psychedelic pharmacology is derived from rodent models, but most of this preclinical research has only focused on male mice. Here we tested the effects of DOI on head-twitch behavior (HTR) - a mouse behavioral proxy of human psychedelic potential - in male and female mice. DOI elicited more HTR in female as compared to male C57BL/6J mice, a sex-specific exacerbated behavior that was not observed in 129S6/SvEv animals. Volinanserin (or M100907) - a 5-HT2AR antagonist - fully prevented DOI-induced HTR in male and female C57BL/6J mice. Accumulation of inositol monophosphate (IP1) in the frontal cortex upon DOI administration showed no sex-related effect in C57BL/6J mice. However, the pharmacokinetic properties of DOI differed among sexes - brain and plasma concentrations of DOI were lower 30 and 60 min after drug administration in female as compared to male C57BL/6J mice. Together, these results suggest strain-dependent and sex-related differences in the behavioral and pharmacokinetic profiles of the 5-HT2AR agonist DOI in C57BL/6J mice, and support the importance of studying sex as a biological variable in preclinical psychedelic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States; Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Jason Younkin
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States; Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Travis Cuddy
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States; Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Justin L Poklis
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Mikhail G Dozmorov
- Department of Biostatistics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, United States.
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13
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de la Fuente Revenga M, Jaster AM, McGinn J, Silva G, Saha S, González-Maeso J. Tolerance and Cross-Tolerance among Psychedelic and Nonpsychedelic 5-HT 2A Receptor Agonists in Mice. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:2436-2448. [PMID: 35900876 PMCID: PMC10411500 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.2c00170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Classical psychedelics represent a subgroup of serotonergic psychoactive substances characterized by their distinct subjective effects on the human psyche. Another unique attribute of this drug class is that such effects become less apparent after repeated exposure within a short time span. The classification of psychedelics as a subgroup within the serotonergic drug family and the tolerance to their effects are replicated by the murine head twitch response (HTR) behavioral paradigm. Here, we aimed to assess tolerance and cross-tolerance to HTR elicited by psychedelic and nonpsychedelic serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonists in mice. We show that repeated (4 days) administration of the psychedelic 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) induced a progressive decrease in HTR behavior. Tolerance to DOI-induced HTR was also observed 24 h after a single administration of this psychedelic. Pretreatment with the 5-HT2AR antagonist M100907 reduced not only the acute manifestation of DOI-induced HTR, but also the development of tolerance to HTR. Additionally, cross-tolerance became apparent between the psychedelics DOI and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), whereas repeated administration of the nonpsychedelic 5-HT2AR agonist lisuride did not affect the ability of these two psychedelics to induce HTR. At the molecular level, DOI administration led to down-regulation of 5-HT2AR density in mouse frontal cortex membrane preparations. However, development of tolerance to the effect of DOI on HTR remained unchanged in β-arrestin-2 knockout mice. Together, these data suggest that tolerance to HTR induced by psychedelics involves activation of the 5-HT2AR, is not observable upon repeated administration of nonpsychedelic 5-HT2AR agonists, and occurs via a signaling mechanism independent of β-arrestin-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
- Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - John McGinn
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Gabriella Silva
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Somdatta Saha
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
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14
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Adams AM, Anas NA, Sen AK, Hinegardner-Hendricks JD, O’Dell PJ, Gibbons WJ, Flower JE, McMurray MS, Jones JA. Development of an E. coli-based norbaeocystin production platform and evaluation of behavioral effects in rats. Metab Eng Commun 2022; 14:e00196. [PMID: 35310468 PMCID: PMC8927989 DOI: 10.1016/j.mec.2022.e00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandra M. Adams
- Miami University, Department of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Nicholas A. Anas
- Miami University, Department of Psychology, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Abhishek K. Sen
- Miami University, Department of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | | | - Philip J. O’Dell
- Miami University, Department of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - William J. Gibbons
- Miami University, Department of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Jessica E. Flower
- Miami University, Department of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
| | - Matthew S. McMurray
- Miami University, Department of Psychology, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
- Corresponding author. Miami University, Department of Psychology Center for Neuroscience and Behavior 221 Psychology, Building 90 N Patterson Ave.
| | - J. Andrew Jones
- Miami University, Department of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering, Oxford, OH, 45056, USA
- Corresponding author. Miami University, Department of Chemical, Paper, and Biomedical Engineering, 64P Engineering Building 650 E. High St, Oxford, OH, 45056.
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15
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Jaster AM, Elder H, Marsh SA, de la Fuente Revenga M, Negus SS, González-Maeso J. Effects of the 5-HT 2A receptor antagonist volinanserin on head-twitch response and intracranial self-stimulation depression induced by different structural classes of psychedelics in rodents. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:1665-1677. [PMID: 35233648 PMCID: PMC10055857 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-022-06092-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinical studies suggest that psychedelics exert robust therapeutic benefits in a number of psychiatric conditions including substance use disorder. Preclinical studies focused on safety and efficacy of these compounds are necessary to determine the full range of psychedelics' effects. OBJECTIVES The present study explores the behavioral pharmacology of structurally distinct psychedelics in paradigms associated with serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) activation and behavioral disruption in two rodent models. Utilizing the selective 5-HT2AR antagonist volinanserin, we aimed to provide further pharmacological assessment of psychedelic effects in rodents. METHODS We compared volinanserin (0.0001-0.1 mg/kg) antagonism of the phenethylamine 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI, 1.0 mg/kg) and the ergoline lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD, 0.32 mg/kg) in preclinical assays predictive of hallucinations (head-twitch response or HTR in mice) and behavioral disruption (intracranial self-stimulation or ICSS in rats). Volinanserin antagonism of the phenethylamine mescaline, the tryptamine psilocybin, and the k-opioid receptor agonist salvinorin A was also evaluated in the rat ICSS assay. RESULTS Volinanserin had similar potency, effectiveness, and time-course to attenuate DOI-induced HTR in mice and ICSS depression in rats. Volinanserin completely blocked LSD-induced HTR in mice, but not LSD-induced ICSS depression in rats. Volinanserin also reversed ICSS depression by mescaline, but it was only partially effective to reduce the effects of psilocybin, and it exacerbated ICSS depression by salvinorin A. CONCLUSION Although hallucination-related HTR behavior induced by phenethylamine, ergoline, and tryptamine psychedelics appears to be 5-HT2AR-mediated, the receptor(s) responsible for behavioral disruptive effects may differ among these three structural classes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.,Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Harrison Elder
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Samuel A Marsh
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.,Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - S Stevens Negus
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
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16
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Vohra HZ, Saunders JM, Jaster AM, de la Fuente Revenga M, Jimenez J, Fernández-Teruel A, Wolstenholme JT, Beardsley PM, González-Maeso J. Sex-specific effects of psychedelics on prepulse inhibition of startle in 129S6/SvEv mice. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2022; 239:1649-1664. [PMID: 34345931 PMCID: PMC10103008 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-021-05913-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Prepulse inhibition (PPI) of startle is a sensorimotor gating phenomenon perturbed in a variety of neuropsychiatric conditions. Psychedelics disrupt PPI in rats and humans, but their effects and involvement of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor (5-HT2AR) in mice remain unexplored. METHODS We tested the effect of the psychedelic 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) on startle amplitude and %PPI in response to acoustic stimuli under up to four different experimental conditions that included changes in background and stimulus intensity, prepulse and pulse duration, and interstimulus interval in male and female 129S6/SvEv mice. We also evaluated the effect of the 5-HT2AR antagonist M100,907 (1 mg/kg, i.p.) on DOI-induced startle amplitude and %PPI, as well as the effect of the psychedelic LSD (0.24 mg/kg, i.p.) and the dopamine agonists apomorphine (5 mg/kg, s.c.) and SKF-82,958 (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.) in male 129S6/SvEv mice. RESULTS DOI altered startle amplitude with either pulse alone or prepulse + pulse presentations in all PPI conditions, and increased %PPI in three out of four PPI conditions in male mice - an effect that was prevented by M100,907. In female mice, DOI increased %PPI without affecting startle amplitude. %PPI was positively correlated with startle amplitude in males while being negatively correlated in female mice. In male mice, LSD also increased %PPI, although it did not affect startle amplitude, whereas apomorphine and SKF-82,958 induced decreases in %PPI. CONCLUSION Our findings highlight a distinct effect of the psychedelic DOI on PPI in 129S6/SvEv mice, suggesting 5-HT2AR-dependent PPI improvement in a paradigm-dependent and sex-dependent manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiba Z Vohra
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Justin M Saunders
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.,Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Jennifer Jimenez
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Alberto Fernández-Teruel
- Medical Psychology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Forensic Medicine, Institute of Neurosciences, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona, E-08193, Bellaterra, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jennifer T Wolstenholme
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.,VCU Alcohol Research Center, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Patrick M Beardsley
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.,Center for Biomarker Research and Precision Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
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17
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Glatfelter GC, Chojnacki MR, McGriff SA, Wang T, Baumann MH. Automated Computer Software Assessment of 5-Hydroxytryptamine 2A Receptor-Mediated Head Twitch Responses from Video Recordings of Mice. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2022; 5:321-330. [PMID: 35592434 PMCID: PMC9112414 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.1c00237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Psychedelics are a class of drugs that produce unique subjective effects via agonist actions at the 5-hydroxytryptamine 2A receptor (5-HT2A). The 5-HT2A-mediated head twitch response (HTR) in rodents is used as a reliable proxy for psychedelic drug activity in humans, but existing methods for measuring HTRs require surgery or time-consuming visual scoring. In the present work, we validated a simple noninvasive method for quantitating HTRs using computer-based analysis of experimental video recordings. Male C57BL/6J mice received injections of the 5-HT2 receptor agonist (±)2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI; 0.03-3 mg/kg, s.c.) and were placed into cylindrical arenas. High frame rate videos were recorded via cameras mounted above the arenas. Antagonist experiments, which entailed pretreatment with the 5-HT2A antagonist M100907 (0.01 or 0.1 mg/kg s.c.) prior to DOI (1 mg/kg s.c.), were also recorded. The experimental videos were analyzed for HTRs using a newly developed feature of a commercial software package and compared to visual scoring carried out by trained observers. As expected, DOI produced dose-related increases in HTRs, which were blocked by M100907. Computer scoring was positively correlated with visual scoring, and no statistical difference between the two methods was found. The software captured nearly all visually observed HTRs, false positives induced by other behaviors (e.g., grooming) were rare and easily identified, and results were improved by optimizing lighting conditions. Our findings demonstrate the utility of combining high frame rate video recordings with commercial software analyses to measure HTRs, validating an additional reliable method to study psychedelic-like drug activity in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grant C. Glatfelter
- Designer
Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Michael R. Chojnacki
- Designer
Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Shelby A. McGriff
- Designer
Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
| | - Tianpeng Wang
- Clever
Sys Inc., Reston, Virginia 20190, United
States
| | - Michael H. Baumann
- Designer
Drug Research Unit, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland 21224, United States
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18
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Cao D, Yu J, Wang H, Luo Z, Liu X, He L, Qi J, Fan L, Tang L, Chen Z, Li J, Cheng J, Wang S. Structure-based discovery of nonhallucinogenic psychedelic analogs. Science 2022; 375:403-411. [PMID: 35084960 DOI: 10.1126/science.abl8615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Drugs that target the human serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) are used to treat neuropsychiatric diseases; however, many have hallucinogenic effects, hampering their use. Here, we present structures of 5-HT2AR complexed with the psychedelic drugs psilocin (the active metabolite of psilocybin) and d-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), as well as the endogenous neurotransmitter serotonin and the nonhallucinogenic psychedelic analog lisuride. Serotonin and psilocin display a second binding mode in addition to the canonical mode, which enabled the design of the psychedelic IHCH-7113 (a substructure of antipsychotic lumateperone) and several 5-HT2AR β-arrestin-biased agonists that displayed antidepressant-like activity in mice but without hallucinogenic effects. The 5-HT2AR complex structures presented herein and the resulting insights provide a solid foundation for the structure-based design of safe and effective nonhallucinogenic psychedelic analogs with therapeutic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongmei Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jing Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Huan Wang
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Zhipu Luo
- Institute of Molecular Enzymology, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Xinyu Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Licong He
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jianzhong Qi
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Luyu Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Lingjie Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Zhangcheng Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jinsong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
| | - Jianjun Cheng
- iHuman Institute, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai 201210, China
| | - Sheng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 320 Yueyang Road, Shanghai 200031, China
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19
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Vollenweider FX, Smallridge JW. Classic Psychedelic Drugs: Update on Biological
Mechanisms. PHARMACOPSYCHIATRY 2022; 55:121-138. [PMID: 35079988 PMCID: PMC9110100 DOI: 10.1055/a-1721-2914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Renewed interest in the effects of psychedelics in the treatment of psychiatric
disorders warrants a better understanding of the neurobiological mechanisms
underlying the effects of these substances. During the past two decades,
state-of-the-art studies of animals and humans have yielded new important
insights into the molecular, cellular, and systems-level actions of psychedelic
drugs. These efforts have revealed that psychedelics affect primarily
serotonergic receptor subtypes located in cortico-thalamic and cortico-cortical
feedback circuits of information processing. Psychedelic drugs modulate
excitatory-inhibitory balance in these circuits and can participate in
neuroplasticity within brain structures critical for the integration of
information relevant to sensation, cognition, emotions, and the narrative of
self. Neuroimaging studies showed that characteristic dimensions of the
psychedelic experience obtained through subjective questionnaires as well as
alterations in self-referential processing and emotion regulation obtained
through neuropsychological tasks are associated with distinct changes in brain
activity and connectivity patterns at multiple-system levels. These recent
results suggest that changes in self-experience, emotional processing, and
social cognition may contribute to the potential therapeutic effects of
psychedelics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franz X. Vollenweider
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry,
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital for Psychiatry Zurich,
Zurich, Switzerland
| | - John W. Smallridge
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Brain Imaging, Department of Psychiatry,
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, University Hospital for Psychiatry Zurich,
Zurich, Switzerland
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Jaster AM, de la Fuente Revenga M, González-Maeso J. Molecular targets of psychedelic-induced plasticity. J Neurochem 2021; 162:80-88. [PMID: 34741320 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.15536] [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] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Psychedelic research across different disciplines and biological levels is growing at a remarkably fast pace. In the prospect of a psychedelic drug becoming again an approved treatment, much of these efforts have been oriented toward exploring the relationship between the actual psychedelic effects and those manifestations of therapeutic interest. Considering the central role of the serotonin 5-HT2A receptor in the distinct effects of psychedelics in human psyche, neuropharmacology sits at the center of this debate and exploratory continuum. Here we discuss some of the most recent findings in human studies and contextualize them considering previous preclinical models studying phenomena related to synaptic plasticity. A special emphasis is placed on knowledge gaps, challenges, and limitations to evaluate the underpinnings of psychedelics' potential antidepressant action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.,Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA.,Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology & Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia, USA
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21
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de la Fuente Revenga M, Zhu B, Guevara CA, Naler LB, Saunders JM, Zhou Z, Toneatti R, Sierra S, Wolstenholme JT, Beardsley PM, Huntley GW, Lu C, González-Maeso J. Prolonged epigenomic and synaptic plasticity alterations following single exposure to a psychedelic in mice. Cell Rep 2021; 37:109836. [PMID: 34686347 PMCID: PMC8582597 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109836] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 07/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Clinical evidence suggests that rapid and sustained antidepressant action can be attained with a single exposure to psychedelics. However, the biological substrates and key mediators of psychedelics' enduring action remain unknown. Here, we show that a single administration of the psychedelic DOI produces fast-acting effects on frontal cortex dendritic spine structure and acceleration of fear extinction via the 5-HT2A receptor. Additionally, a single dose of DOI leads to changes in chromatin organization, particularly at enhancer regions of genes involved in synaptic assembly that stretch for days after the psychedelic exposure. These DOI-induced alterations in the neuronal epigenome overlap with genetic loci associated with schizophrenia, depression, and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Together, these data support that epigenomic-driven changes in synaptic plasticity sustain psychedelics' long-lasting antidepressant action but also warn about potential substrate overlap with genetic risks for certain psychiatric conditions.
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MESH Headings
- Amphetamines/pharmacology
- Animals
- Behavior, Animal/drug effects
- Dendritic Spines/drug effects
- Dendritic Spines/metabolism
- Epigenesis, Genetic/drug effects
- Epigenome/drug effects
- Epigenomics
- Extinction, Psychological/drug effects
- Fear/drug effects
- Frontal Lobe/drug effects
- Frontal Lobe/metabolism
- Hallucinogens/pharmacology
- Male
- Mice, 129 Strain
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Mice, Knockout
- Neuronal Plasticity/drug effects
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/drug effects
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/genetics
- Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A/metabolism
- Serotonin 5-HT2 Receptor Agonists/pharmacology
- Synapses/drug effects
- Synapses/metabolism
- Time Factors
- Mice
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Bohan Zhu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Christopher A Guevara
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Lynette B Naler
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Justin M Saunders
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Zirui Zhou
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA
| | - Rudy Toneatti
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Salvador Sierra
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Jennifer T Wolstenholme
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - Patrick M Beardsley
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA; Center for Biomarker Research and Precision Medicine, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA 23298, USA
| | - George W Huntley
- Nash Family Department of Neuroscience and Friedman Brain Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, USA
| | - Chang Lu
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA 23298, USA.
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22
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de la Fuente Revenga M, Shah UH, Nassehi N, Jaster AM, Hemanth P, Sierra S, Dukat M, González-Maeso J. Psychedelic-like Properties of Quipazine and Its Structural Analogues in Mice. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:831-844. [PMID: 33400504 PMCID: PMC7933111 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.0c00291] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Known classic psychedelic serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) agonists retain a tryptamine or phenethylamine at their structural core. However, activation of the 5-HT2AR can be elicited by drugs lacking these fundamental scaffolds. Such is the case of the N-substituted piperazine quipazine. Here, we show that quipazine bound to and activated 5-HT2AR as measured by [3H]ketanserin binding displacement, Ca2+ mobilization, and accumulation of the canonical Gq/11 signaling pathway mediator inositol monophosphate (IP1) in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, quipazine induced via 5-HT2AR an expression pattern of immediate early genes (IEG) in the mouse somatosensory cortex consistent with that of classic psychedelics. In the mouse head-twitch response (HTR) model of psychedelic-like action, quipazine produced a lasting effect with high maximal responses during the peak effect that were successfully blocked by the 5-HT2AR antagonist M100907 and absent in 5-HT2AR knockout (KO) mice. The acute effect of quipazine on HTR appeared to be unaffected by serotonin depletion and was independent from 5-HT3R activation. Interestingly, some of these features were shared by its deaza bioisostere 2-NP, but not by other closely related piperazine congeners, suggesting that quipazine might represent a distinct cluster within the family of psychoactive piperazines. Together, our results add to the mounting evidence that quipazine's profile matches that of classic psychedelic 5-HT2AR agonists at cellular signaling and behavioral pharmacology levels.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
- Virginia Institute of Psychiatric and Behavioral Genetics, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23219, United States
| | - Urjita H Shah
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Nima Nassehi
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Alaina M Jaster
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Prithvi Hemanth
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Salvador Sierra
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Malgorzata Dukat
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Pharmacy, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, Virginia 23298, United States
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23
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Automated detection of the head-twitch response using wavelet scalograms and a deep convolutional neural network. Sci Rep 2020; 10:8344. [PMID: 32433580 PMCID: PMC7239849 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-65264-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Hallucinogens induce the head-twitch response (HTR), a rapid reciprocal head movement, in mice. Although head twitches are usually identified by direct observation, they can also be assessed using a head-mounted magnet and a magnetometer. Procedures have been developed to automate the analysis of magnetometer recordings by detecting events that match the frequency, duration, and amplitude of the HTR. However, there is considerable variability in the features of head twitches, and behaviors such as jumping have similar characteristics, reducing the reliability of these methods. We have developed an automated method that can detect head twitches unambiguously, without relying on features in the amplitude-time domain. To detect the behavior, events are transformed into a visual representation in the time-frequency domain (a scalogram), deep features are extracted using the pretrained convolutional neural network (CNN) ResNet-50, and then the images are classified using a Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm. These procedures were used to analyze recordings from 237 mice containing 11,312 HTR. After transformation to scalograms, the multistage CNN-SVM approach detected 11,244 (99.4%) of the HTR. The procedures were insensitive to other behaviors, including jumping and seizures. Deep learning based on scalograms can be used to automate HTR detection with robust sensitivity and reliability.
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de la Fuente Revenga M, Vohra HZ, González-Maeso J. Automated quantification of head-twitch response in mice via ear tag reporter coupled with biphasic detection. J Neurosci Methods 2020; 334:108595. [PMID: 31954738 PMCID: PMC7363508 DOI: 10.1016/j.jneumeth.2020.108595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Head-twitch response (HTR) is a manifestation of the serotonergic system behavioral pharmacology commonly used as a proxy of psychedelic drug action in rodents. NEW METHOD We developed a minimally invasive magnetic ear tag reporter and designed a detection system that performs a comprehensive characterization of each potential HTR event on an electromagnetic readout. RESULTS Magnetic ear tags were easy to install and generally well tolerated by the animals. On the low-threshold first phase of detection, the tags' signal recorded in a magnetometer was filtered and screened for potential HTR events. On the second phase, the detector performed a comprehensive spectral analysis evaluation of each event and identified the HTR characteristic distribution of power density. Our system delivered satisfactory performance in the identification of pharmacologically-induced HTR and discrimination power against common non-HTR behaviors. COMPARISON WITH EXISTING METHODS Our system offers a high-throughput solution for studying HTR in mice employing minimally invasive procedures and superior standalone discriminative power compared to our previously reported fully-automated approach. CONCLUSIONS High-throughput identification of HTR utilizing magnetic ear-tagging and biphasic detection delivers satisfactory detection and discrimination power employing less invasive procedures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario de la Fuente Revenga
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Hiba Z Vohra
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA
| | - Javier González-Maeso
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine, Richmond, VA, 23298, USA.
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