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Rossetti AC, Paladini MS, Brüning CA, Spero V, Cattaneo MG, Racagni G, Papp M, Riva MA, Molteni R. Involvement of the IL-6 Signaling Pathway in the Anti-Anhedonic Effect of the Antidepressant Agomelatine in the Chronic Mild Stress Model of Depression. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232012453. [PMID: 36293308 PMCID: PMC9604470 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232012453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Revised: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroinflammation has emerged as an important factor in the molecular underpinnings of major depressive disorder (MDD) pathophysiology and in the mechanism of action of antidepressants. Among the inflammatory mediators dysregulated in depressed patients, interleukin (IL)-6 has recently been proposed to play a crucial role. IL-6 activates a signaling pathway comprising the JAK/STAT proteins and characterized by a specific negative feedback loop exerted by the cytoplasmic protein suppressor of cytokine signalling-3 (SOCS3). On these bases, here, we explored the potential involvement of IL-6 signaling in the ability of the antidepressant drug agomelatine to normalize the anhedonic-like phenotype induced in the rat by chronic stress exposure. To this aim, adult male Wistar rats were subjected to the chronic mild stress (CMS) paradigm and chronically treated with vehicle or agomelatine. The behavioral evaluation was assessed by the sucrose consumption test, whereas molecular analyses were performed in the prefrontal cortex. We found that CMS was able to stimulate IL-6 production and signaling, including SOCS3 gene and protein expression, but the SOCS3-mediated feedback-loop inhibition failed to suppress the IL-6 cascade in stressed animals. Conversely, agomelatine treatment normalized the stress-induced decrease in sucrose consumption and restored the negative modulation of the IL-6 signaling via SOCS3 expression and activity. Our results provide additional information about the pleiotropic mechanisms that contribute to agomelatine’s therapeutic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C. Rossetti
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20129 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Serena Paladini
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20129 Milan, Italy
| | - Cesar Augusto Brüning
- Center for Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Food Sciences (CCQFA), Federal University of Pelotas, Pelotas 96010-900, RS, Brazil
| | - Vittoria Spero
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20129 Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Grazia Cattaneo
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20129 Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Mariusz Papp
- Maj Institute of Pharmacology, Polish Academy of Sciences, 31-343 Krakow, Poland
| | - Marco A. Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
- Biological Psychiatry Unit, IRCCS Istituto Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, 25125 Brescia, Italy
| | - Raffaella Molteni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, 20129 Milan, Italy
- Correspondence:
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2
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Magnavacca A, Sangiovanni E, Racagni G, Dell'Agli M. The antiviral and immunomodulatory activities of propolis: An update and future perspectives for respiratory diseases. Med Res Rev 2021; 42:897-945. [PMID: 34725836 PMCID: PMC9298305 DOI: 10.1002/med.21866] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2020] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Propolis is a complex natural product that possesses antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, immunomodulatory, antibacterial, and antiviral properties mainly attributed to the high content in flavonoids, phenolic acids, and their derivatives. The chemical composition of propolis is multifarious, as it depends on the botanical sources from which honeybees collect resins and exudates. Nevertheless, despite this variability propolis may have a general pharmacological value, and this review systematically compiles, for the first time, the existing preclinical and clinical evidence of propolis activities as an antiviral and immunomodulatory agent, focusing on the possible application in respiratory diseases. In vitro and in vivo assays have demonstrated propolis broad‐spectrum effects on viral infectivity and replication, as well as the modulatory actions on cytokine production and immune cell activation as part of both innate and adaptive immune responses. Clinical trials confirmed propolis undeniable potential as an effective therapeutic agent; however, the lack of rigorous randomized clinical trials in the context of respiratory diseases is tangible. Since propolis is available as a dietary supplement, possible use for the prevention of respiratory diseases and their deleterious inflammatory drawbacks on the respiratory tract in humans is considered and discussed. This review opens up new perspectives on the clinical investigation of neglected propolis biological properties which, now more than ever, are particularly relevant with respect to the recent outbreaks of pandemic respiratory infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Magnavacca
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Enrico Sangiovanni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Mario Dell'Agli
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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3
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Campesi I, Racagni G, Franconi F. Just a Reflection: Does Drug Repurposing Perpetuate Sex-Gender Bias in the Safety Profile? Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:730. [PMID: 34451827 PMCID: PMC8402096 DOI: 10.3390/ph14080730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Vaccines constitute a strategy to reduce the burden of COVID-19, but the treatment of COVID-19 is still a challenge. The lack of approved drugs for severe COVID-19 makes repurposing or repositioning of approved drugs a relevant approach because it occurs at lower costs and in a shorter time. Most preclinical and clinical tests, including safety and pharmacokinetic profiles, were already performed. However, infective and inflammatory diseases such as COVID-19 are linked with hypoalbuminemia and downregulation of both phase I and phase II drug-metabolizing enzymes and transporters, which can occur in modifications of pharmacokinetics and consequentially of safety profiles. This appears to occur in a sex- and gender-specific way because of the sex and gender differences present in the immune system and inflammation, which, in turn, reflect on pharmacokinetic parameters. Therefore, to make better decisions about drug dosage regimens and to increases the safety profile in patients suffering from infective and inflammatory diseases such as COVID-19, it is urgently needed to study repurposing or repositioning drugs in men and in women paying attention to pharmacokinetics, especially for those drugs that are previously scarcely evaluated in women.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Campesi
- Department of Biomedical Science, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy
- National Laboratory of Pharmacology and Gender Medicine, National Institute of Biostructure and Biosystem, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy;
| | - Flavia Franconi
- National Laboratory of Pharmacology and Gender Medicine, National Institute of Biostructure and Biosystem, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
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4
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Scavone C, Mascolo A, Rafaniello C, Sportiello L, Trama U, Zoccoli A, Bernardi FF, Racagni G, Berrino L, Castaldo G, Coscioni E, Rossi F, Capuano A. Therapeutic strategies to fight COVID-19: Which is the status artis? Br J Pharmacol 2021; 179:2128-2148. [PMID: 33960398 PMCID: PMC8239658 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID‐19 is a complex disease, and many difficulties are faced today especially in the proper choice of pharmacological treatments. The role of antiviral agents for COVID‐19 is still being investigated and evidence for immunomodulatory and anti‐inflammatory drugs is quite conflicting, whereas the use of corticosteroids is supported by robust evidence. The use of heparins in hospitalized critically ill patients is preferred over other anticoagulants. There are conflicting data on the use of convalescent plasma and vitamin D. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), many vaccines are in Phase III clinical trials, and some of them have already received marketing approval in European countries and in the United States. In conclusion, drug repurposing has represented the main approach recently used in the treatment of patients with COVID‐19. At this moment, analysis of efficacy and safety data of drugs and vaccines used in real‐life context is strongly needed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Scavone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Università degli studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Annamaria Mascolo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Università degli studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Rafaniello
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Università degli studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Liberata Sportiello
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Università degli studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Ugo Trama
- Regional Pharmaceutical Unit, U.O.D. 06 Politica del Farmaco e Dispositivi, Naples, Italy
| | - Alice Zoccoli
- Clinical Innovation Office, Università Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesca Futura Bernardi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Università degli studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy.,Regional Pharmaceutical Unit, U.O.D. 06 Politica del Farmaco e Dispositivi, Naples, Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Liberato Berrino
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Università degli studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Castaldo
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnology, University of Napoli Federico II, Naples, Italy.,CEINGE-Advanced Biotechnology Scarl, Naples, Italy
| | - Enrico Coscioni
- Agenzia nazionale per i servizi sanitari regionali, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Rossi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Università degli studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy.,Clinical Innovation Office, Università Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy
| | - Annalisa Capuano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Università degli studi della Campania 'Luigi Vanvitelli', Naples, Italy
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5
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Sbrini G, Brivio P, Sangiovanni E, Fumagalli M, Racagni G, Dell’Agli M, Calabrese F. Chronic Treatment with a Phytosomal Preparation Containing Centella asiatica L. and Curcuma longa L. Affects Local Protein Synthesis by Modulating the BDNF-mTOR-S6 Pathway. Biomedicines 2020; 8:biomedicines8120544. [PMID: 33256214 PMCID: PMC7761389 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines8120544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2020] [Revised: 11/21/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Brain derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) is the most diffuse neurotrophin in the central nervous system and it is crucial for the proper brain development and maintenance. Indeed, through the binding to its high affinity receptor TRKB and the activation of different intracellular cascades, it boosts cell survival, neurite growth and spine maturations mechanisms. Here, we evaluated if the chronic oral treatment for 10 days with a phytosomal preparation containing Centella asiatica L. and Curcuma longa L. could improve Bdnf levels in the prefrontal cortex of adult rats. Interestingly we found an increased expression of Bdnf with main effect of the treatment on the mTOR-S6 downstream signaling pathway. Accordingly, we found an increase in the expression of eukaryotic elongation factor (eEF2) with a shift towards the phosphorylated form thus increasing the transcription of Oligophrenin-1, a protein carrying the upstream Open Reading Frame (uORF) which reduction is paralleled by memory dysfunctions. These results show the ability of the phytosome to enhance mTOR-S6 regulated transcription and suggest the possibility to use this preparation in subjects with impairments in neuroplastic mechanisms, memory and cognitive abilities.
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6
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Macchi C, Favero C, Ceresa A, Vigna L, Conti DM, Pesatori AC, Racagni G, Corsini A, Ferri N, Sirtori CR, Buoli M, Bollati V, Ruscica M. Depression and cardiovascular risk-association among Beck Depression Inventory, PCSK9 levels and insulin resistance. Cardiovasc Diabetol 2020; 19:187. [PMID: 33143700 PMCID: PMC7641831 DOI: 10.1186/s12933-020-01158-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2020] [Accepted: 10/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Depression and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are among the most common causes of disability in high-income countries, depression being associated with a 30% increased risk of future CV events. Depression is twice as common in people with diabetes and is associated with a 60% rise in the incidence of type 2 diabetes, an independent CVD risk factor. Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9), a key regulator of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, has been related to a large number of CV risk factors, including insulin resistance. Aim of this study was to investigate whether the presence of depression could affect PCSK9 levels in a population of obese subjects susceptible to depressive symptoms and how these changes may mediate a pre-diabetic risk. RESULTS In 389 obese individuals, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II) was significantly associated with PCSK9 levels. For every one-unit increment in BDI-II score, PCSK9 rose by 1.85 ng/mL. Depression was associated also with the HOMA-IR (homeostatic model assessment index of insulin resistance), 11% of this effect operating indirectly via PCSK9. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates a possible mechanism linking depression and insulin resistance, a well-known CV risk factor, providing evidence for a significant role of PCSK9.
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Affiliation(s)
- C Macchi
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - C Favero
- EPIGET Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - A Ceresa
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - L Vigna
- Occupational Medicine Unit, Fondazione Cà Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - D M Conti
- Occupational Medicine Unit, Fondazione Cà Granda, IRCCS Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - A C Pesatori
- EPIGET Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - G Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - A Corsini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- IRCCS, Multimedica, Sesto San Giovanni (Milan), Italy
| | - N Ferri
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Padova, Padua, Italy
| | - C R Sirtori
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - M Buoli
- Department of Pathophysiology and Transplantation, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
- Department of Neurosciences and Mental Health, Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, Milan, Italy
| | - V Bollati
- EPIGET Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | - M Ruscica
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
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7
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Correll CU, Demyttenaere K, Fagiolini A, Hajak G, Pallanti S, Racagni G, Singh S. Cariprazine in the management of negative symptoms of schizophrenia: state of the art and future perspectives. Future Neurology 2020. [DOI: 10.2217/fnl-2020-0012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
In schizophrenia, dopaminergic hyperactivity in the mesolimbic regions, or possibly even selectively so in the dorsal striatum, seems to cause the emergence of psychotic symptoms, whereas dopaminergic hypoactivity in cortical regions underlies the negative symptoms and cognitive deficits. Managing the negative symptoms is a major current challenge in the treatment of schizophrenia with a dearth of novel modalities to address this clinical issue. Cariprazine is a novel second-generation antipsychotic that specifically targets the D3 receptor mainly associated to negative symptoms. The review summarizes the main issues regarding negative symptom management and the role of cariprazine treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christoph U Correll
- Department of Psychiatry Research, The Zucker Hillside Hospital, 75–59 263rd Street Glen Oaks, NY 11004, USA
- Department of Psychiatry & Molecular Medicine, Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell, Hempstead, NY 11549, USA
- Department of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, Charité Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Koen Demyttenaere
- University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg & University of Leuven, Psychiatry Research Group, Department of Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, Herestraat 49, Leuven 3000, Belgium
| | - Andrea Fagiolini
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Siena School of Medicine, Siena 53100, Italy
| | - Göran Hajak
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine & Psychotherapy, Sozialstiftung Bamberg, St.-Getreustrasse 18, Bamberg 96049, Germany
| | | | - Giorgio Racagni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, Milano 20123, Italy
| | - Swaran Singh
- Mental Health & Wellbeing, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
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8
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Scavone C, Brusco S, Bertini M, Sportiello L, Rafaniello C, Zoccoli A, Berrino L, Racagni G, Rossi F, Capuano A. Current pharmacological treatments for COVID-19: What's next? Br J Pharmacol 2020; 177:4813-4824. [PMID: 32329520 PMCID: PMC7264618 DOI: 10.1111/bph.15072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 164] [Impact Index Per Article: 41.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Revised: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 04/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Since December 2019 SARS-Cov-2 was found responsible for the disease COVID-19, which has spread worldwide. No specific therapies/vaccines are yet available for the treatment of COVID-19. Drug repositioning may offer a strategy and a number of drugs have been repurposed, including lopinavir/ritonavir, remdesivir, favipiravir and tocilizumab. This paper describes the main pharmacological properties of such drugs administered to patients with COVID-19, focusing on their antiviral, immune-modulatory and/or anti-inflammatory actions. Where available, data from clinical trials involving patients with COVID-19 are reported. Preliminary clinical trials seem to support their benefit. However, such drugs in COVID-19 patients have peculiar safety profiles. Thus, adequate clinical trials are necessary for these compounds. Nevertheless, while waiting for effective preventive measures i.e. vaccines, many clinical trials on drugs belonging to different therapeutic classes are currently underway. Their results will help us in defining the best way to treat COVID-19 and reducing its symptoms and complications. LINKED ARTICLES: This article is part of a themed issue on The Pharmacology of COVID-19. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v177.21/issuetoc.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Scavone
- Department of Experimental MedicineUniversità degli studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
| | - Simona Brusco
- Department of Experimental MedicineUniversità degli studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
| | - Michele Bertini
- Department of Experimental MedicineUniversità degli studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
| | - Liberata Sportiello
- Department of Experimental MedicineUniversità degli studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
| | - Concetta Rafaniello
- Department of Experimental MedicineUniversità degli studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
| | - Alice Zoccoli
- Clinical Innovation OfficeUniversità Campus Bio‐medicoRomeItaly
| | - Liberato Berrino
- Department of Experimental MedicineUniversità degli studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular SciencesUniversity of MilanMilanItaly
| | - Francesco Rossi
- Department of Experimental MedicineUniversità degli studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
- Clinical Innovation OfficeUniversità Campus Bio‐medicoRomeItaly
| | - Annalisa Capuano
- Department of Experimental MedicineUniversità degli studi della Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”NaplesItaly
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9
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Brivio P, Sbrini G, Corsini G, Paladini MS, Racagni G, Molteni R, Calabrese F. Chronic Restraint Stress Inhibits the Response to a Second Hit in Adult Male Rats: A Role for BDNF Signaling. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21176261. [PMID: 32872446 PMCID: PMC7503736 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21176261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 08/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a recurrent disorder, with about 50% of patients experiencing relapse. Exposure to stressful events may have an adverse impact on the long-term course of the disorder and may alter the response to a subsequent stressor. Indeed, not all the systems impaired by stress may normalize during symptoms remission, facilitating the relapse to the pathology. Hence, we investigated the long-lasting effects of chronic restraint stress (CRS) and its influence on the modifications induced by the exposure to a second hit on brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) signaling in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). We exposed adult male Sprague Dawley rats to 4 weeks of CRS, we left them undisturbed for the subsequent 3 weeks, and then we exposed animals to one hour of acute restraint stress (ARS). We found that CRS influenced the release of corticosterone induced by ARS and inhibited the ability of ARS to activate mature BDNF, its receptor Tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TRKB), and their associated intracellular cascades: the TRKB-PI3K-AKT), the MEK-MAPK/ERK, and the Phospholipase C γ (PLCγ) pathways, positively modulated by ARS in non-stressed animals. These results suggest that CRS induces protracted and detrimental consequences that interfere with the ability of PFC to cope with a challenging situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Brivio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università deglI Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (P.B.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Giulia Sbrini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università deglI Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (P.B.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Giulia Corsini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università deglI Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (P.B.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Maria Serena Paladini
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.S.P.); (R.M.)
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università deglI Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (P.B.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.R.)
| | - Raffaella Molteni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, Università degli Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (M.S.P.); (R.M.)
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università deglI Studi di Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy; (P.B.); (G.S.); (G.C.); (G.R.)
- Correspondence:
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10
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Mascolo A, Scavone C, Rafaniello C, Ferrajolo C, Racagni G, Berrino L, Paolisso G, Rossi F, Capuano A. Renin-Angiotensin System and Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Narrative Review. Front Cardiovasc Med 2020; 7:143. [PMID: 32850989 PMCID: PMC7431661 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2020.00143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Although clinical manifestations of the 2019 novel coronavirus disease pandemic (COVID-19), caused by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-COV-2), are mainly respiratory symptoms, patients can also develop severe cardiovascular damage. Therefore, understanding the damage caused by SARS-COV-2 to the cardiovascular system and the underlying mechanisms is fundamental. The cardiovascular damage may be related to the imbalance of the renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) as this virus binds the Angiotensin-Converting-Enzyme 2 (ACE2), expressed on the lung alveolar epithelial cells, to enter into cells. Virus internalization may cause a downregulation of ACE2 on host cell surface that could lead to a local increased level of angiotensin II (AII) and a reduced level of angiotensin 1-7 (A1-7). An imbalance between these angiotensins may be responsible for the lung and heart damage. Pharmacological strategies that interfere with the viral attachment to ACE2 (umifenovir and hydroxychloroquine/chloroquine) or that modulate the RAS (analogous of A1-7 and ACE2, losartan) are in clinical development for COVID-19. The use of RAS inhibitors has also become a matter of public concern as these drugs may increase the mRNA expression and levels of ACE2 and impact the virulence and transmission of SARS-COV-2. Data on the effect of RAS inhibitors on ACE2 mRNA expression are scarce. Scientific societies expressed their opinion on continuing the therapy with RAS inhibitors in patients with COVID-19 and underlying cardiovascular diseases. In conclusion, RAS may play a role in SARS-COV-2-induced cardiac and pulmonary damage. Further studies are needed to better understand the role of RAS in COVID-19 and to guide decision on the use of RAS inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annamaria Mascolo
- Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Naples, Italy
| | - Cristina Scavone
- Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Naples, Italy
| | - Concetta Rafaniello
- Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Naples, Italy
| | - Carmen Ferrajolo
- Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Naples, Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Liberato Berrino
- Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Paolisso
- Department of Advanced Medical and Surgical Sciences, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Francesco Rossi
- Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Naples, Italy
| | - Annalisa Capuano
- Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy.,Campania Regional Centre for Pharmacovigilance and Pharmacoepidemiology, Naples, Italy
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Capuano A, Scavone C, Racagni G, Scaglione F. NSAIDs in patients with viral infections, including Covid-19: Victims or perpetrators? Pharmacol Res 2020; 157:104849. [PMID: 32360482 PMCID: PMC7189871 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Taking anti-inflammatory drugs, including non-steroidal (NSAIDs), during Covid-19 infection, how much is risky? The French Minister of Health, who has raised an alarm on a possible risk deriving from the use of ibuprofen for the control of fever and other symptoms during the disease, opened the debate a few days ago. In this paper we examine available evidence from preclinical and clinical studies that had analysed the role of COX in the inflammatory process and the effects of NSAIDs in patients with infections. Most of the published studies that suggested not protective effects of NSAIDs were mainly performed in vitro or on animals. Therefore, their meaning in humans is to be considered with great caution. Based also on data suggesting protective effects of NSAIDs, we concluded that currently there is no evidence suggesting a correlation between NSAIDs and a worsening of infections. Further studies will be certainly needed to better define the role of NSAIDs and particularly COX2 inhibitors in patients with infections. In the meantime, we must wait for results of the revision started by the PRAC on May 2019 on the association ibuprofen/ketoprofen and worsening of infections. Since nowadays no scientific evidence establishes a correlation between NSAIDS and worsening of COVID-19, patients should be advice against any NSAIDs self-medication when COVID-19 like symptoms are present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalisa Capuano
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy; Regional Centre of Pharmacogilance, Campania Region, Naples, Italy.
| | - Cristina Scavone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy; Regional Centre of Pharmacogilance, Campania Region, Naples, Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesco Scaglione
- Department of Oncology and Onco-Hematology, University of Milan, Milan, Italy; Clinical Pharmacology Unit, ASST-GOM Niguarda Hospital, Milan, Italy
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12
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Sbrini G, Brivio P, Fumagalli M, Giavarini F, Caruso D, Racagni G, Dell’Agli M, Sangiovanni E, Calabrese F. Centella asiatica L. Phytosome Improves Cognitive Performance by Promoting Bdnf Expression in Rat Prefrontal Cortex. Nutrients 2020; 12:nu12020355. [PMID: 32013132 PMCID: PMC7071263 DOI: 10.3390/nu12020355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2019] [Revised: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 01/27/2020] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
A wide range of people in the world use natural remedies as primary approaches against illnesses. Accordingly, understanding the mechanisms of action of phytochemicals has become of great interest. In this context, Centella asiatica L. is extensively used, not only as anti-inflammatory or antioxidant agent but also as brain tonic. On this basis, the purpose of this study was to evaluate whether the chronic administration of C. asiatica L. to adult male rats was able to improve the expression of Bdnf, one of the main mediators of brain plasticity. Moreover, we assessed whether the treatment could affect the cognitive performance in the novel object recognition (NOR) test. We confirmed the presence of the main compounds in the plasma. Furthermore, C. asiatica L. administration induced an increase of Bdnf in the prefrontal cortex, and the administration of the higher dose of the extract was able to improve cognitive performance. Finally, the increase in the preference index in the NOR test was paralleled by a further increase in Bdnf expression. Overall, we highlight the ability of C. asiatica L. to affect brain functions by increasing Bdnf expression and by enhancing the cognitive performance.
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13
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Brivio P, Paladini MS, Racagni G, Riva MA, Calabrese F, Molteni R. From Healthy Aging to Frailty: In Search of the Underlying Mechanisms. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:3685-3701. [PMID: 31333079 DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190717152739] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2018] [Revised: 12/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/08/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Population aging is accelerating rapidly worldwide, from 461 million people older than 65 years in 2004 to an estimated 2 billion people by 2050, leading to critical implications for the planning and delivery of health and social care. The most problematic expression of population aging is the clinical condition of frailty, which is a state of increased vulnerability that develops as a consequence of the accumulation of microscopic damages in many physiological systems that lead to a striking and disproportionate change in health state, even after an apparently small insult. Since little is known about the biology of frailty, an important perspective to understand this phenomenon is to establish how the alterations that physiologically occur during a condition of healthy aging may instead promote cumulative decline with subsequent depletion of homoeostatic reserve and increase the vulnerability also after minor stressor events. In this context, the present review aims to provide a description of the molecular mechanisms that, by having a critical impact on behavior and neuronal function in aging, might be relevant for the development of frailty. Moreover, since these biological systems are also involved in the coping strategies set in motion to respond to environmental challenges, we propose a role for lifestyle stress as an important player to drive frailty in aging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Brivio
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Maria Serena Paladini
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Associazione di Psicofarmacologia, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco Andrea Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaella Molteni
- Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
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14
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Demyttenaere K, Detraux J, Racagni G, Vansteelandt K. Medication-Induced Akathisia with Newly Approved Antipsychotics in Patients with a Severe Mental Illness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. CNS Drugs 2019; 33:549-566. [PMID: 31065941 DOI: 10.1007/s40263-019-00625-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Akathisia is a common and distressing movement disorder that can be associated with the use of antipsychotics. It is characterized by a subjective (inner restlessness) and an objective (excessive movements) component. Akathisia can have a negative impact on clinical outcome and even lead to treatment discontinuation. Although medication-induced akathisia is more commonly associated with the use of first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs), it also occurs with second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs), including the newly approved antipsychotics (NAPs) asenapine, lurasidone, iloperidone, cariprazine, and brexpiprazole. Until now, no meta-analysis has been published on the risk of akathisia for all NAPs, as monotherapy or adjunctive treatment, in patients with a severe mental illness. OBJECTIVE The primary objectives of this systematic review and meta-analysis were to (i) compare akathisia incidence rates of the NAPs, as monotherapy or adjunctive treatment, in adult patients with a severe mental illness (i.e., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder), using data from published and unpublished randomized controlled trials; and (ii) examine the role of several study characteristics explaining differences in akathisia incidence rates between studies. METHODS A systematic literature search, using the PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library databases (until October 2018), was conducted for English-language placebo- as well as active-controlled clinical trials, including subjective (percentage of patients reporting akathisia) and/or scale-defined medication-induced akathisia incidence rates with NAPs (as monotherapy or as adjunctive treatment) in adult patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, or major depressive disorder. Additional unpublished clinical trials were identified through the ClinicalTrials.gov electronic database. Two meta-analyses (incidence rates and odds ratio [OR] [placebo vs. active] of medication-induced akathisia with NAPs) were performed to obtain an optimal estimation of akathisia risks of adult patients with a severe mental illness under these treatment conditions and to assess the role of study characteristics. RESULTS Two hundred and thirteen reports were selected as potentially eligible for our meta-analysis. Of these, 48 met the inclusion criteria. Eight records, identified through the ClinicalTrials.gov database and cross-referencing, and which fulfilled the inclusion criteria, were added, resulting in a total of 56 records (iloperidone = 5, asenapine = 11, lurasidone = 15, brexpiprazole = 13, cariprazine = 12). The estimated weighted mean incidence rate of akathisia was 7.7% (95% confidence interval [CI] 6.5-9.1), with estimates being 3.9% (95% CI 2.4-6.3) for iloperidone, 6.8% (95% CI 5.1-9.0) for asenapine, 10.0% (95% CI 7.4-13.5) for brexpiprazole, 12.7% (95% CI 10.1-16.1) for lurasidone, and 17.2% (95% CI 13.4-22.1) for cariprazine. After Tukey-adjustment for multiple testing, the incidence rate of akathisia was significantly (p < 0.05) lower for iloperidone than for brexpiprazole, lurasidone, and cariprazine. In addition, the incidence rate of akathisia was significantly (p < 0.05) lower for asenapine than for lurasidone and cariprazine. Finally, the incidence rate of akathisia was significantly (p < 0.05) lower for brexpiprazole than for cariprazine. Type of medication (p < 0.0001), diagnosis (p = 0.02), and race (p = 0.0003) significantly explained part of the heterogeneity of the incidence estimates of akathisia between studies. The estimated weighted OR of akathisia under medication, compared with placebo, was 2.43 (95% CI 1.91-3.10). The OR was smallest for iloperidone (OR 1.20; 95% CI 0.42-3.45) and increased for brexpiprazole (OR 2.04; 95% CI 1.09-3.83), asenapine (OR 2.37; 95% CI 1.32-4.27), lurasidone (OR 3.74; 95% CI 2.32-6.02), and cariprazine (OR 4.35; 95% CI 2.80-6.75). Only type of medication (p = 0.03) explained systematic differences in the OR for akathisia between placebo versus active treatment across studies. After Tukey-adjustment for multiple testing, no significant differences between these ORs were found. The severity of akathisia with NAPs generally is mild to moderate, only leading to treatment discontinuation in a minority of cases (< 5%). CONCLUSIONS The use of a NAP raises the akathisia risk more than two-fold when compared with patients receiving placebo. Although distinctions between the different NAPs were not clear in placebo-controlled trials, the results of our meta-analyses and systematic review generally indicate that these differences more than likely reflect real differences, with iloperidone showing the most and cariprazine showing the least benign akathisia profile. Moreover, due to patient characteristics and methodological issues, incidence rates of akathisia with NAPs found in this meta-analysis may even be an underestimation of true incidence rates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Koen Demyttenaere
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University Psychiatric Center KU Leuven and University of Leuven, Campus Gasthuisberg, Herestraat 49, 3000, Louvain, Belgium.
| | - Johan Detraux
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, KU Leuven, University Psychiatric Centre, 3070, Kortenberg, Belgium
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Kristof Vansteelandt
- Department of Neurosciences, Research Group Psychiatry, KU Leuven, University Psychiatric Centre, 3070, Kortenberg, Belgium
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15
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Caraci F, Calabrese F, Molteni R, Bartova L, Dold M, Leggio GM, Fabbri C, Mendlewicz J, Racagni G, Kasper S, Riva MA, Drago F. International Union of Basic and Clinical Pharmacology CIV: The Neurobiology of Treatment-resistant Depression: From Antidepressant Classifications to Novel Pharmacological Targets. Pharmacol Rev 2018; 70:475-504. [PMID: 29884653 DOI: 10.1124/pr.117.014977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Major depressive disorder is one of the most prevalent and life-threatening forms of mental illnesses and a major cause of morbidity worldwide. Currently available antidepressants are effective for most patients, although around 30% are considered treatment resistant (TRD), a condition that is associated with a significant impairment of cognitive function and poor quality of life. In this respect, the identification of the molecular mechanisms contributing to TRD represents an essential step for the design of novel and more efficacious drugs able to modify the clinical course of this disorder and increase remission rates in clinical practice. New insights into the neurobiology of TRD have shed light on the role of a number of different mechanisms, including the glutamatergic system, immune/inflammatory systems, neurotrophin function, and epigenetics. Advances in drug discovery processes in TRD have also influenced the classification of antidepressant drugs and novel classifications are available, such as the neuroscience-based nomenclature that can incorporate such advances in drug development for TRD. This review aims to provide an up-to-date description of key mechanisms in TRD and describe current therapeutic strategies for TRD before examining novel approaches that may ultimately address important neurobiological mechanisms not targeted by currently available antidepressants. All in all, we suggest that drug targeting different neurobiological systems should be able to restore normal function but must also promote resilience to reduce the long-term vulnerability to recurrent depressive episodes.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Caraci
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - F Calabrese
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - R Molteni
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - L Bartova
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - M Dold
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - G M Leggio
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - C Fabbri
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - J Mendlewicz
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - G Racagni
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - S Kasper
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - M A Riva
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
| | - F Drago
- Departments of Drug Sciences (F.Car.) and Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, School of Medicine (G.M.L., F.D.), University of Catania, Catania, Italy; Oasi-Research-Institute-IRCCS, Troina, Italy (F.Car.); Departments of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences (F.Cal., G.R., M.A.R.) and Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine (R.M.), Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy; Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria (L.B., M.D., S.K.); Department of Biomedical and NeuroMotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy (C.F.); and School of Medicine, Universite' Libre de Bruxelles, Bruxelles, Belgium (J.M.)
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Scavone C, Carnovale C, Ruggiero R, Radice S, Scatigna M, Racagni G, Mugelli A, Rossi F, Clementi E, Capuano A. On the Policy of the Italian Government in the Discovery, Development, and Access to Medicines. Clin Ther 2018; 40:1931-1940. [PMID: 30458933 DOI: 10.1016/j.clinthera.2018.09.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/26/2018] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
This commentary outlines how discovery, development, and access to medicines are regulated and promoted in Italy by the government through the Ministry of University and Research, the Ministry of Health, and the Italian Medicines Agency. We describe and comment on the existing research programs stimulating preclinical, translational, and clinical research and how access to medicines and their pricing is regulated by Italy's National Health Service both at the national and regional levels. Finally, we describe the current scenario of industrial research and medicines manufacturing. The resulting picture shows a country in which high-level competitive research on medicines is promoted alongside an excellent national health system working toward fairness of access to health care services for all citizens and fiscal solidarity as a fundamental form of system financing. Critical challenges still exist, including the relative scarcity of public funding for research and the non-uniform access to the benefits of the National Health Service across Italian regions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Scavone
- Department of Experimental Medicine - Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy
| | - Carla Carnovale
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, L. Sacco University Hospital, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Rosanna Ruggiero
- Department of Experimental Medicine - Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy
| | - Sonia Radice
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, L. Sacco University Hospital, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Marco Scatigna
- Specialisation School of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandro Mugelli
- Department of Neurosciences, Drug Research and Child's Health, University of Florence, Firenze, Italy
| | - Francesco Rossi
- Department of Experimental Medicine - Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy
| | - Emilio Clementi
- Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, L. Sacco University Hospital, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Scientific Institute, IRCCS E. Medea, Bosisio Parini, Italy.
| | - Annalisa Capuano
- Department of Experimental Medicine - Section of Pharmacology "L. Donatelli", University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Napoli, Italy
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17
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Rossetti AC, Paladini MS, Racagni G, Riva MA, Cattaneo A, Molteni R. Genome-wide analysis of LPS-induced inflammatory response in the rat ventral hippocampus: Modulatory activity of the antidepressant agomelatine. World J Biol Psychiatry 2018; 19:390-401. [PMID: 28337940 DOI: 10.1080/15622975.2017.1298839] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Several studies reported that antidepressant drugs have immune-regulatory effects by acting on specific inflammatory mediators. However, considering the highly complex nature of the inflammatory response, we have adopted an unbiased genome-wide strategy to investigate the immune-regulatory activity of the antidepressant agomelatine in modulating the response to an acute inflammatory challenge. METHODS Microarray analysis was used to identify genes modulated in the ventral hippocampus of adult rats chronically treated with agomelatine (40 mg/kg, os) before being challenged with a single injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 250 μg/kg, i.p.). RESULTS The administration of LPS induced the transcription of 284 genes mainly associated with pathways related to the immune/inflammatory system. Agomelatine modulated pathways not only connected to its antidepressant activity, but was also able to prevent the activation of genes induced by LPS. Further comparisons between gene lists of the diverse experimental groups led to the identification of a few transcripts modulated by LPS on which agomelatine has the larger effect of normalisation. Among them, we found the pro-inflammatory cytokine Il-1β and, interestingly, the metabotropic glutamatergic transporter Grm2. CONCLUSIONS These results are useful to better characterise the association between depression and inflammation, revealing new potential targets for pharmacological intervention for depression associated to inflammation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Carlo Rossetti
- a Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences , University of Milan , Milan , Italy
| | - Maria Serena Paladini
- b Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine , University of Milan , Milan , Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- a Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences , University of Milan , Milan , Italy
| | - Marco Andrea Riva
- a Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences , University of Milan , Milan , Italy
| | - Annamaria Cattaneo
- c Biological Psychiatry Unit , IRCCS Centro San Giovanni di Dio - Fatebenefratelli , Brescia , Italy.,d Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience , King's College London , London , UK
| | - Raffaella Molteni
- b Department of Medical Biotechnology and Translational Medicine , University of Milan , Milan , Italy
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Gelosa P, Castiglioni L, Tenconi M, Baldessin L, Racagni G, Corsini A, Bellosta S. Pharmacokinetic drug interactions of the non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs). Pharmacol Res 2018; 135:60-79. [PMID: 30040996 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2018.07.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The use of warfarin, the most commonly prescribed oral anticoagulant, is being questioned by clinicians worldwide due to warfarin several limitations (a limited therapeutic window and significant variability in dose-response among individuals, in addition to a potential for drug-drug interactions). Therefore, the need for non-vitamin K antagonist oral anticoagulants (NOACs) with a rapid onset of antithrombotic effects and a predictable pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) profile led to the approval of five new drugs: the direct factor Xa (F-Xa) inhibitors rivaroxaban, apixaban, edoxaban and betrixaban (newly approved by FDA) and the direct thrombin (factor-IIa) inhibitor dabigatran etexilate. The advantages of NOACs over warfarin are a fixed-dosage, the absence of the need for drug monitoring for changes in anti-coagulation and fewer clinically significant PK and PD drug-drug interactions. NOACs exposure will likely be increased by the administration of strong P-glycoprotein (P-gp) and cytochrome P450 (CYP) 3A4-inhibitors and may increase the risk of bleeds. On the contrary, P-gp inducers could significantly decrease the NOACs plasma concentration with an associated reduction in their anticoagulant effects. This manuscript gives an overview of NOACs PK profiles and their drug-drug interactions potential. This is meant to be of help to physicians in choosing the best therapeutic approach for their patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Gelosa
- Centro Cardiologico Monzino IRCCS, Via C. Parea, 4, 20138 Milan, Italy.
| | - Laura Castiglioni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Marco Tenconi
- EDRA S.p.A., Via G. Spadolini, 7, 20141 Milan, Italy.
| | | | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| | - Alberto Corsini
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; IRCCS MultiMedica, via G. Fantoli 16, 20138 Milan, Italy.
| | - Stefano Bellosta
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via G. Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy; IRCCS MultiMedica, via G. Fantoli 16, 20138 Milan, Italy.
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Magni P, Bier DM, Pecorelli S, Agostoni C, Astrup A, Brighenti F, Cook R, Folco E, Fontana L, Gibson RA, Guerra R, Guyatt GH, Ioannidis JPA, Jackson AS, Klurfeld DM, Makrides M, Mathioudakis B, Monaco A, Patel CJ, Racagni G, Schünemann HJ, Shamir R, Zmora N, Peracino A. Perspective: Improving Nutritional Guidelines for Sustainable Health Policies: Current Status and Perspectives. Adv Nutr 2017; 8:532-545. [PMID: 28710141 PMCID: PMC5502870 DOI: 10.3945/an.116.014738] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A large body of evidence supports the notion that incorrect or insufficient nutrition contributes to disease development. A pivotal goal is thus to understand what exactly is appropriate and what is inappropriate in food ingestion and the consequent nutritional status and health. The effective application of these concepts requires the translation of scientific information into practical approaches that have a tangible and measurable impact at both individual and population levels. The agenda for the future is expected to support available methodology in nutrition research to personalize guideline recommendations, properly grading the quality of the available evidence, promoting adherence to the well-established evidence hierarchy in nutrition, and enhancing strategies for appropriate vetting and transparent reporting that will solidify the recommendations for health promotion. The final goal is to build a constructive coalition among scientists, policy makers, and communication professionals for sustainable health and nutritional policies. Currently, a strong rationale and available data support a personalized dietary approach according to personal variables, including sex and age, circulating metabolic biomarkers, food quality and intake frequency, lifestyle variables such as physical activity, and environmental variables including one's microbiome profile. There is a strong and urgent need to develop a successful commitment among all the stakeholders to define novel and sustainable approaches toward the management of the health value of nutrition at individual and population levels. Moving forward requires adherence to well-established principles of evidence evaluation as well as identification of effective tools to obtain better quality evidence. Much remains to be done in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paolo Magni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, and
| | - Dennis M Bier
- Children’s Nutrition Research Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX
| | | | - Carlo Agostoni
- Fondazione IRCCS Cà Granda Ospedale Maggiore Policlinico, DISCCO, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Arne Astrup
- Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Furio Brighenti
- Department of Food Sciences, University of Parma, Parma, Italy
| | - Robert Cook
- Bazian, Economist Intelligence Unit Healthcare, London, United Kingdom
| | - Emanuela Folco
- Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Science Foundation, Milan, Italy
| | - Luigi Fontana
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy;,Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
| | - Robert A Gibson
- School of Agriculture, Food and Wine, FOODplus Research Centre, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Ranieri Guerra
- Department of Preventive Health, Ministry of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Gordon H Guyatt
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - John PA Ioannidis
- Department of Health Policy and Research, Stanford University, Stanford, CA
| | - Ann S Jackson
- Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Science Foundation, Houston, TX
| | - David M Klurfeld
- Human Nutrition Program, USDA Agricultural Research Service, Beltsville, MD
| | - Maria Makrides
- Healthy Mothers, Babies and Children, South Australian Health and Medical Research Institute, Adelaide, Australia
| | | | | | - Chirag J Patel
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, and
| | - Holger J Schünemann
- Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Raanan Shamir
- Institute of Gastroenterology, Nutrition and Liver Diseases, Schneider Children’s Medical Center of Israel, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, University of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel; and
| | - Niv Zmora
- Department of Immunology, Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel
| | - Andrea Peracino
- Giovanni Lorenzini Medical Science Foundation, Milan, Italy;
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Caraci F, Enna SJ, Zohar J, Racagni G, Zalsman G, van den Brink W, Kasper S, Koob GF, Pariante CM, Piazza PV, Yamada K, Spedding M, Drago F. A new nomenclature for classifying psychotropic drugs. Br J Clin Pharmacol 2017; 83:1614-1616. [PMID: 28401576 DOI: 10.1111/bcp.13302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2016] [Revised: 03/06/2017] [Accepted: 03/26/2017] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
The Neuroscience-based Nomenclature (NbN) for psychotropic drugs was developed as an alternative to the current Anatomical Therapeutic Chemical (ATC) indication-based classification in order to provide more precise designations for this drug class. The ATC nomenclature for psychotherapeutics is limited in that it fails to specify either pharmacological domains or mechanism of action and also does not describe all the potential uses of a particular agent. The disconnect between the drug classification and its clinical use is not very useful for scientific purposes and is confusing for patients and caregivers, often leading to a misunderstanding of the intended effects of the prescribed medication and, most importantly, to low treatment adherence. The NbN classifies psychopharmacological agents on the basis of contemporary scientific information on their pharmacology and mechanisms of action so as to provide physicians clear alternatives when selecting or altering therapeutic regimens. The classification of each psychotropic drug includes four additional dimensions: approved indications; efficacy and side effects; practical note; neurobiology. By emphasizing the pharmacology and the molecular mechanism of action, NbN provides a vehicle for clinicians and basic scientists to improve the understanding and clinical use of this important drug class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Caraci
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.,Oasi Institute for Research on Mental Retardation and Brain Aging (IRCCS), Troina, Italy
| | - Sam J Enna
- Department of Molecular and Integrative Physiology, Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Therapeutics, University of Kansas Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, USA
| | - Joseph Zohar
- Department of Psychiatry, Sheba Medical Center and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Hashomer, Israel
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecolar Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Gil Zalsman
- Geha Mental Health Center and Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.,Division of Molecular Imaging and Neuropathology, Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University and New York State Psychiatric Institute, New York, New York, USA
| | - Wim van den Brink
- Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Siegfried Kasper
- Academic Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.,Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Waehringer Guertel, 18-201090, Vienna, Austria
| | - George F Koob
- Neurobiology of Addiction Section, Integrative Neuroscience Research Branch, National Institute on Drug Abuse, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.,National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Carmine M Pariante
- Department of Psychological Medicine, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Pier Vincenzo Piazza
- Inserm U1215, Neurocentre Magendie, Physiopathology of Addiction Group, Bordeaux, France.,Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
| | - Kiyofumi Yamada
- Department of Neuropsychopharmacology and Hospital Pharmacy, Nagoya University Graduate School of Medicine, 65 Tsurumai-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
| | - Michael Spedding
- Spedding Research Solutions SAS, 6 Rue Ampere, Le Vesinet, 78110, France
| | - Filippo Drago
- Department of Biomedical and Biotechnological Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.,Unifarm Research Centre, Catania, Italy
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Calabrese F, Savino E, Mocaer E, Bretin S, Racagni G, Riva MA. Upregulation of neurotrophins by S 47445, a novel positive allosteric modulator of AMPA receptors in aged rats. Pharmacol Res 2017; 121:59-69. [PMID: 28442348 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2017.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 04/13/2017] [Accepted: 04/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
At molecular levels, it has been shown that aging is associated with alterations in neuroplastic mechanisms. In this study, it was examined if the altered expression of neurotrophins observed in aged rats could be corrected by a chronic treatment with S 47445 (1-3-10mg/kg, p.o.), a novel selective positive allosteric modulator of the AMPA receptors. Both the mRNA and the protein levels of the neurotrophins Bdnf, NT-3 and Ngf were specifically measured in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus (ventral and dorsal) of aged rats. It was found that 2-week-treatment with S 47445 corrected the age-related deficits of these neurotrophins and/or positively modulated their expression in comparison to vehicle aged rats in the range of procognitive and antidepressant active doses in rodents. Collectively, the ability of S 47445 to modulate various neurotrophins demonstrated its neurotrophic properties in two major brain structures involved in cognition and mood regulation suggesting its therapeutic potential for improving several diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and/or Major Depressive Disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Savino
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabeth Mocaer
- Neuropsychiatric Innovation Therapeutic Pole, Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Sylvie Bretin
- Neuropsychiatric Innovation Therapeutic Pole, Institut de Recherches Internationales Servier, Suresnes, France
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco A Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
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22
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Ruscica M, Baldessin L, Boccia D, Racagni G, Mitro N. Non-insulin anti-diabetic drugs: An update on pharmacological interactions. Pharmacol Res 2016; 115:14-24. [PMID: 27838511 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2016.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2016] [Revised: 11/03/2016] [Accepted: 11/04/2016] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Nowadays, the goal in the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) remains personalized control of glucose. Since less than 50% of patients with T2DM achieve glycemic treatment goal and most of them take medications for comorbidities associated to T2DM, drug interactions, namely pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions, may enhance or reduce the effect of compounds involved in hyperglycemia. Hence, clinicians should be aware of the severe complications in T2DM patients in case of a concomitant use of these medications. It is within this context that this review aims to evaluate the effect of a second drug on the pharmacokinetic of these compounds which may lead, along with several pharmacodynamic interactions, to severe clinical complications, i.e., hypoglycemia. Available drugs already approved in Europe, USA and Japan have been included.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Ruscica
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
| | | | | | - G Racagni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - N Mitro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
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23
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Rossetti AC, Papp M, Gruca P, Paladini MS, Racagni G, Riva MA, Molteni R. Stress-induced anhedonia is associated with the activation of the inflammatory system in the rat brain: Restorative effect of pharmacological intervention. Pharmacol Res 2016; 103:1-12. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2015.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2015] [Revised: 09/30/2015] [Accepted: 10/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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Racagni G, Rovescalli AC, Galimberti R, Brunello N. Neurotransmitter systems and receptor plasticity in brain aging. Mod Probl Pharmacopsychiatry 2015; 23:21-7. [PMID: 2566115 DOI: 10.1159/000416676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- G Racagni
- Center of Neuropharmacology, University of Milan, Italy
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25
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Luoni A, Richetto J, Racagni G, Molteni R. The Long-Term Impact of Early Adversities on Psychiatric Disorders: Focus on Neuronal Plasticity. Curr Pharm Des 2015; 21:1388-95. [DOI: 10.2174/1381612821666150105142824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2014] [Accepted: 01/01/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Giannotti G, Caffino L, Malpighi C, Melfi S, Racagni G, Fumagalli F. A single exposure to cocaine during development elicits regionally-selective changes in basal basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF-2) gene expression and alters the trophic response to a second injection. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2015; 232:713-9. [PMID: 25124315 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-014-3708-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE During adolescence, the brain is maturing and more sensitive to drugs of abuse that can influence its developmental trajectory. Recently, attention has been focused on basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2) given that its administration early in life enhances the acquisition of cocaine self-administration and sensitization at adulthood (Turner et al. (Pharmacol Biochem Behav 92:100-4, 2009), Clinton et al. (Pharmacol Biochem Behav103:6-17, 2012)). Additionally, we found that abstinence from adolescent cocaine exposure long lastingly dysregulates FGF-2 transcription (Giannotti et al. (Psychopharmacology (Berl) 225:553-60, 2013 ). OBJECTIVES The objectives of the study are to evaluate if (1) a single injection of cocaine (20 mg/kg) at postnatal day 35 alters FGF-2 messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and (2) the first injection influences the trophic response to a second injection (10 mg/kg) provided 24 h or 7 days later. RESULTS We found regional differences in the FGF-2 expression pattern as either the first or the second injection of cocaine by themselves upregulated FGF-2 mRNA in the medial prefrontal cortex and nucleus accumbens while downregulating it in the hippocampus. The first injection influences the trophic response of the second. Of note, 24 h after the first injection, accumbal and hippocampal FGF-2 changes produced by cocaine in saline-pretreated rats were prevented in cocaine-pretreated rats. Conversely, in the medial prefrontal cortex and hippocampus 7 days after the first injection, the cocaine-induced FGF-2 changes were modified by the subsequent exposure to the psychostimulant. CONCLUSIONS These findings show that a single cocaine injection is sufficient to produce enduring changes in the adolescent brain and indicate that early cocaine priming alters the mechanisms regulating the trophic response in a brain region-specific fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Giannotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133, Milano, Italy
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Mallei A, Failler M, Corna S, Racagni G, Mathé AA, Popoli M. Synaptoproteomic analysis of a rat gene-environment model of depression reveals involvement of energy metabolism and cellular remodeling pathways. Int J Neuropsychopharmacol 2015; 18:pyu067. [PMID: 25522407 PMCID: PMC4360251 DOI: 10.1093/ijnp/pyu067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Major depression is a severe mental illness that causes heavy social and economic burdens worldwide. A number of studies have shown that interaction between individual genetic vulnerability and environmental risk factors, such as stress, is crucial in psychiatric pathophysiology. In particular, the experience of stressful events in childhood, such as neglect, abuse, or parental loss, was found to increase the risk for development of depression in adult life. Here, to reproduce the gene x environment interaction, we employed an animal model that combines genetic vulnerability with early-life stress. METHODS The Flinders Sensitive Line rats (FSL), a validated genetic animal model of depression, and the Flinders Resistant Line (FRL) rats, their controls, were subjected to a standard protocol of maternal separation (MS) from postnatal days 2 to 14. A basal comparison between the two lines for the outcome of the environmental manipulation was performed at postnatal day 73, when the rats were into adulthood. We carried out a global proteomic analysis of purified synaptic terminals (synaptosomes), in order to study a subcellular compartment enriched in proteins involved in synaptic function. Two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE), mass spectrometry, and bioinformatic analysis were used to analyze proteins and related functional networks that were modulated by genetic susceptibility (FSL vs. FRL) or by exposure to early-life stress (FRL + MS vs. FRL and FSL + MS vs. FSL) RESULTS We found that, at a synaptic level, mainly proteins and molecular pathways related to energy metabolism and cellular remodeling were dysregulated. CONCLUSIONS The present results, in line with previous works, suggest that dysfunction of energy metabolism and cytoskeleton dynamics at a synaptic level could be features of stress-related pathologies, in particular major depression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Mallei
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Milano, Milano, Italy (Drs Mallei, Failler, Corna, Racagni, and Popoli); Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden (Dr Mathé).
| | - Marion Failler
- *Present address: Université Paris Descartes, Inserm U1163, Imagine Institute, Necker Hospital, Paris.
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Caffino L, Calabrese F, Giannotti G, Barbon A, Verheij MMM, Racagni G, Fumagalli F. Stress rapidly dysregulates the glutamatergic synapse in the prefrontal cortex of cocaine-withdrawn adolescent rats. Addict Biol 2015; 20:158-69. [PMID: 24102978 DOI: 10.1111/adb.12089] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Although several lines of evidence have shown that chronic cocaine use is associated with stress system dysregulation, the underlying neurochemical mechanisms are still elusive. To investigate whether the rapid stress-induced response of the glutamatergic synapse was influenced by a previous history of cocaine, rats were exposed to repeated cocaine injections during adolescence [from postnatal day (PND) 28-42], subjected to a single swim stress (5 minutes) three days later (PND 45) and sacrificed 15 minutes after the end of this stressor. Critical determinants of glutamatergic homeostasis were measured in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) whereas circulating corticosterone levels were measured in the plasma. Exposure to stress in saline-treated animals did not show changes in the crucial determinants of the glutamatergic synapse. Conversely, in cocaine-treated animals, stress dynamically altered the glutamatergic synapse by: (1) enhancing the presynaptic vesicular mediators of glutamate release; (2) reducing the transporters responsible for glutamate clearance; (3) increasing the postsynaptic responsiveness of the N-methyl-D-aspartate subunit GluN1; and (4) causing hyperresponsive spines as evidenced by increased activation of the postsynaptic cdc42-Pak pathway. These findings indicate that exposure to cocaine during adolescence sensitizes mPFC glutamatergic synapses to stress. It is suggested that changes in glutamatergic signaling may contribute to the increased sensitivity to stress observed in cocaine users. Moreover, glutamatergic processes may play an important role in stress-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Caffino
- Centro di Neurofarmacologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari; Università degli Studi di Milano; Milan Italy
- Collaborative Center of Department of Antidrug Policies; Presidency of the Council of Ministers; Rome Italy
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Centro di Neurofarmacologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari; Università degli Studi di Milano; Milan Italy
- Collaborative Center of Department of Antidrug Policies; Presidency of the Council of Ministers; Rome Italy
| | - Giuseppe Giannotti
- Centro di Neurofarmacologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari; Università degli Studi di Milano; Milan Italy
- Collaborative Center of Department of Antidrug Policies; Presidency of the Council of Ministers; Rome Italy
| | - Alessandro Barbon
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Molecular and Translational Medicine, National Institute of Neuroscience; University of Brescia; Brescia Italy
| | - Michel M. M. Verheij
- Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour; Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre; Nijmegen The Netherlands
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Centro di Neurofarmacologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari; Università degli Studi di Milano; Milan Italy
- Collaborative Center of Department of Antidrug Policies; Presidency of the Council of Ministers; Rome Italy
- I.R.C.C.S. San Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli; Brescia Italy
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Centro di Neurofarmacologia, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari; Università degli Studi di Milano; Milan Italy
- Collaborative Center of Department of Antidrug Policies; Presidency of the Council of Ministers; Rome Italy
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Calabrese F, Rossetti AC, Racagni G, Gass P, Riva MA, Molteni R. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor: a bridge between inflammation and neuroplasticity. Front Cell Neurosci 2014; 8:430. [PMID: 25565964 PMCID: PMC4273623 DOI: 10.3389/fncel.2014.00430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 305] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 11/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytokines are key regulatory mediators involved in the host response to immunological challenges, but also play a critical role in the communication between the immune and the central nervous system. For this, their expression in both systems is under a tight regulatory control. However, pathological conditions may lead to an overproduction of pro-inflammatory cytokines that may have a detrimental impact on central nervous system. In particular, they may damage neuronal structure and function leading to deficits of neuroplasticity, the ability of nervous system to perceive, respond and adapt to external or internal stimuli. In search of the mechanisms by which pro-inflammatory cytokines may affect this crucial brain capability, we will discuss one of the most interesting hypotheses: the involvement of the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), which represents one of the major mediators of neuroplasticity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea C Rossetti
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano Milan, Italy
| | - Peter Gass
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Research Group Animal Models in Psychiatry, Central Institute of Mental Health, Medical Faculty Mannheim/Heidelberg University Mannheim, Germany
| | - Marco A Riva
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaella Molteni
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano Milan, Italy
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Musazzi L, Seguini M, Mallei A, Treccani G, Pelizzari M, Tornese P, Racagni G, Tardito D. Time-dependent activation of MAPK/Erk1/2 and Akt/GSK3 cascades: modulation by agomelatine. BMC Neurosci 2014; 15:119. [PMID: 25332063 PMCID: PMC4207903 DOI: 10.1186/s12868-014-0119-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2014] [Accepted: 10/09/2014] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The novel antidepressant agomelatine, a melatonergic MT1/MT2 agonist combined with 5-HT2c serotonin antagonist properties, showed antidepressant action in preclinical and clinical studies. There is a general agreement that the therapeutic action of antidepressants needs the activation of slow-onset adaptations in downstream signalling pathways finally regulating neuroplasticity. In the last several years, particular attention was given to cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB)-related pathways, since it was shown that chronic antidepressants increase CREB phosphorylation and transcriptional activity, through the activation of calcium/calmodulin-dependent (CaM) and mitogen activated protein kinase cascades (MAPK/Erk1/2). Aim of this work was to analyse possible effects of chronic agomelatine on time-dependent changes of different intracellular signalling pathways in hippocampus and prefrontal/frontal cortex of male rats. To this end, measurements were performed 1 h or 16 h after the last agomelatine or vehicle injection. RESULTS We have found that in naïve rats chronic agomelatine, contrary to traditional antidepressants, did not increase CREB phosphorylation, but modulates the time-dependent regulation of MAPK/Erk1/2 and Akt/glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) pathways. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that the intracellular molecular mechanisms modulated by chronic agomelatine may be partly different from those of traditional antidepressants and involve the time-dependent regulation of MAPK/Erk1/2 and Akt/GSK-3 signalling pathways. This could exert a role in the antidepressant efficacy of the drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Musazzi
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CEND), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, Milano, 20133, Italy.
| | - Mara Seguini
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CEND), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, Milano, 20133, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Mallei
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CEND), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, Milano, 20133, Italy.
| | - Giulia Treccani
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CEND), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, Milano, 20133, Italy.
| | - Mariagrazia Pelizzari
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CEND), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, Milano, 20133, Italy.
| | - Paolo Tornese
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CEND), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, Milano, 20133, Italy.
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CEND), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, Milano, 20133, Italy. .,Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico Centro S. Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy.
| | - Daniela Tardito
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases (CEND), Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, Milano, 20133, Italy.
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Calabrese F, van der Doelen RHA, Guidotti G, Racagni G, Kozicz T, Homberg JR, Riva MA. Exposure to early life stress regulates Bdnf expression in SERT mutant rats in an anatomically selective fashion. J Neurochem 2014; 132:146-54. [PMID: 25087780 DOI: 10.1111/jnc.12846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2014] [Revised: 07/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/29/2014] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Although the causes of psychiatric disorders are not fully understood, it is well established that mental illness originates from the interaction between genetic and environmental factors. In this regard, compelling evidence demonstrates that depression can be the consequence of altered, and often maladaptive, response to adversities during pre- and early post-natal life. In this study, we investigated the impact of chronic maternal separation (MS) on the expression of the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in serotonin transporter (SERT) knockout rats in the ventral and dorsal hippocampus as well as the ventromedial and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (PFC). We found that both SERT deletion and the MS led to an overall reduction in Bdnf expression in the ventral hippocampus and the ventromedial PFC, whereas in the dorsal hippocampus and in the dorsomedial PFC, we observed a significant increase in the neurotrophin gene expression after MS exposure, specifically in the heterozygous SERT rats. In summary, we show that the modulation of Bdnf expression in SERT mutant rats exposed to MS reflects the complex functional consequences of this gene-environment interaction with a clear distinction between the ventral and the dorsal subfields of the hippocampus and of the PFC. Early life stress differently affects the expression of Bdnf in an anatomically distinct manner as a function of SERT genotype. Specifically, both SERT deletion and the maternal separation (MS) led to an overall reduction in Bdnf expression in the ventral hippocampus and in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, whereas in the dorsal hippocampus and in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, we observed a significant increase in the neurotrophin gene expression after MS exposure specifically in the heterozygous SERT rats. We think that these findings may provide novel cues for modulating neurotrophin function, which is dys-regulated in several psychiatric conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Caffino L, Giannotti G, Malpighi C, Racagni G, Filip M, Fumagalli F. Long-Term Abstinence from Developmental Cocaine Exposure Alters Arc/Arg3.1 Modulation in the Rat Medial Prefrontal Cortex. Neurotox Res 2014; 26:299-306. [DOI: 10.1007/s12640-014-9472-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2013] [Revised: 03/20/2014] [Accepted: 04/21/2014] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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Treccani G, Musazzi L, Perego C, Milanese M, Nava N, Bonifacino T, Lamanna J, Malgaroli A, Drago F, Racagni G, Nyengaard JR, Wegener G, Bonanno G, Popoli M. Stress and corticosterone increase the readily releasable pool of glutamate vesicles in synaptic terminals of prefrontal and frontal cortex. Mol Psychiatry 2014; 19:433-43. [PMID: 24535456 DOI: 10.1038/mp.2014.5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2013] [Revised: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 01/06/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Stress and glucocorticoids alter glutamatergic transmission, and the outcome of stress may range from plasticity enhancing effects to noxious, maladaptive changes. We have previously demonstrated that acute stress rapidly increases glutamate release in prefrontal and frontal cortex via glucocorticoid receptor and accumulation of presynaptic SNARE complex. Here we compared the ex vivo effects of acute stress on glutamate release with those of in vitro application of corticosterone, to analyze whether acute effect of stress on glutamatergic transmission is mediated by local synaptic action of corticosterone. We found that acute stress increases both the readily releasable pool (RRP) of vesicles and depolarization-evoked glutamate release, while application in vitro of corticosterone rapidly increases the RRP, an effect dependent on synaptic receptors for the hormone, but does not induce glutamate release for up to 20 min. These findings indicate that corticosterone mediates the enhancement of glutamate release induced by acute stress, and the rapid non-genomic action of the hormone is necessary but not sufficient for this effect.
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Affiliation(s)
- G Treccani
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics-Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and CEND, Università di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - L Musazzi
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics-Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and CEND, Università di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - C Perego
- Laboratory of Cell Physiology-Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - M Milanese
- Department of Pharmacy-Unit of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - N Nava
- 1] Stereology and Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Centre for Stochastic Geometry and Advanced Bioimaging, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark [2] Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - T Bonifacino
- Department of Pharmacy-Unit of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - J Lamanna
- Neurobiology of Learning Unit, Scientific Institute San Raffaele and Università Vita e Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | - A Malgaroli
- Neurobiology of Learning Unit, Scientific Institute San Raffaele and Università Vita e Salute San Raffaele, Milano, Italy
| | - F Drago
- Department of Clinical and Molecular Biomedicine, Section of Pharmacology and Biochemistry, Università di Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - G Racagni
- 1] Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics-Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and CEND, Università di Milano, Milano, Italy [2] IRCCS San Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - J R Nyengaard
- Stereology and Electron Microscopy Laboratory, Centre for Stochastic Geometry and Advanced Bioimaging, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - G Wegener
- 1] Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Department of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark [2] Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - G Bonanno
- Department of Pharmacy-Unit of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, Università di Genova, Genova, Italy
| | - M Popoli
- Laboratory of Neuropsychopharmacology and Functional Neurogenomics-Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari and CEND, Università di Milano, Milano, Italy
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Caffino L, Frankowska M, Giannotti G, Miszkiel J, Sadakierska-Chudy A, Racagni G, Filip M, Fumagalli F. Cocaine-induced glutamate receptor trafficking is abrogated by extinction training in the rat hippocampus. Pharmacol Rep 2014; 66:198-204. [PMID: 24911070 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharep.2013.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND It has been demonstrated that long-term exposure to cocaine leads to plastic changes in the brain that contribute to the manifestation of addictive behaviors. While attention has mostly focused on the meso-cortico-limbic pathway, the hippocampus seems to play a role in the craving induced by cues in drug addicts, in particular in cue- and drug-induced reinstatement of cocaine seeking. Since glutamate appears to be critical for context-induced drug seeking behaviors, the major aim of our work was to investigate the expression of hippocampal AMPA and NMDA glutamate receptors following repeated cocaine exposure and during extinction training. METHODS We thus employed the yoked control operant paradigm and exposed the animals to contingent or non-contingent cocaine exposure for 2 weeks and sacrificed the animals after the last self-administration (SA) session and following 1 or 10 days of extinction. Protein levels of glutamate receptors were analyzed by Western blotting. RESULTS We found increased levels of the main subunits of both NMDA and AMPA receptors in the post-synaptic density (PSD) fraction, but not in the whole homogenate, of the hippocampus of animals repeatedly exposed to cocaine indicating increased trafficking toward the membrane of these receptors. Also, we found that extinction abolished such effect, suggesting that the trafficking was tightly linked to the presence of the psychostimulant. CONCLUSIONS These data reveal a novel, previously unappreciated role of glutamate receptors in the action of cocaine and cocaine-extinction behavior in rat hippocampus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Caffino
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Collaborative Center of Department of Antidrug Policies, Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Italy
| | - Małgorzata Frankowska
- Laboratory of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Giuseppe Giannotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Collaborative Center of Department of Antidrug Policies, Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Italy
| | - Joanna Miszkiel
- Laboratory of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Sadakierska-Chudy
- Laboratory of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Collaborative Center of Department of Antidrug Policies, Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Italy; I.R.C.C.S. San Giovanni di Dio-Fatebenefratelli, Brescia, Italy
| | - Małgorzata Filip
- Laboratory of Drug Addiction Pharmacology, Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Pharmacology Polish Academy of Sciences, Kraków, Poland; Department of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy; Collaborative Center of Department of Antidrug Policies, Presidency of the Council of Ministers, Italy.
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Luoni A, Fumagalli F, Racagni G, Riva MA. Repeated aripiprazole treatment regulates Bdnf, Arc and Npas4 expression under basal condition as well as after an acute swim stress in the rat brain. Pharmacol Res 2013; 80:1-8. [PMID: 24309096 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2013.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2013] [Revised: 11/21/2013] [Accepted: 11/22/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite the rapid control of schizophrenic symptoms is due to the ability of antipsychotic drugs (APDs) to block D2 receptors in the mesolimbic pathway, it is now well-established that the therapeutic effects rely on adaptive mechanisms set in motion by their long-term administration. Such neuroplastic mechanisms depend on the pharmacological profile of the drug employed, with marked differences existing between first and second generation APDs. On these bases, the major accomplishment of this work was to investigate neuroadaptive changes set in motion by repeated treatment with aripiprazole, a novel APD that is unique for being a partial agonist at dopamine D2 receptors. Moreover, given that stress plays a critical role in the exacerbation of disease symptoms, we also investigated whether aripiprazole could influence the dynamic response of the brain to an acute challenge. We found that repeated aripiprazole treatment in rats regulates the expression of different markers of neuroplasticity such as Bdnf, Arc and Npas4 in a brain-region specific fashion; more importantly, the expression of these molecules was significantly up-regulated by an acute swim stress only in aripiprazole-treated animals, which is suggestive of increased ability to cope with the adverse event. We indeed found an overall facilitation of Bdnf expression, an effect that is mainly evident in the prefrontal cortex on the pool of transcripts undergoing dendritic localization. Overall, our results provide novel information regarding the mechanisms through which aripiprazole may regulate brain function and could contribute to improve neuroplastic defects that are associated with schizophrenia symptomatology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessia Luoni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Fabio Fumagalli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Marco A Riva
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
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Molteni R, Macchi F, Zecchillo C, Dell'agli M, Colombo E, Calabrese F, Guidotti G, Racagni G, Riva MA. Modulation of the inflammatory response in rats chronically treated with the antidepressant agomelatine. Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2013; 23:1645-55. [PMID: 23622958 DOI: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2013.03.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2012] [Revised: 03/05/2013] [Accepted: 03/24/2013] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Growing evidence suggests that the activation of the inflammatory/immune system contributes to depression pathogenesis, a hypothesis that might hold strong clinical implication. Indeed more than 30% of depressed patients fail to achieve remission, which poses the necessity to identify systems that may represent novel targets for medications. Accordingly, goal of this study was to evaluate the ability of the antidepressant agomelatine to modulate specific components of the immune response in the rat brain following an inflammatory challenge with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To this aim, adult male rats were chronically treated with agomelatine before being acutely challenged with LPS 16 h after the last drug administration. Rats were sacrificed 2, 6, or 24h after the challenge and several components of the inflammatory response have been investigated by using real-time PCR or ELISA. We found that agomelatine significantly reduced the LPS-induced up-regulation of the pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1β and interleukin-6 in the rat brain as well as at peripheral level. At central level, these effects are associated to the inhibition of NF-κB translocation as well as to alterations of mechanisms responsible for microglia activation. In addition, we found that agomelatine was also able to alter the expression of enzymes related to the kynurenine pathway that are thought to represent important mediators to inflammation-related depression. These data disclose novel properties that may contribute to the therapeutic effect of agomelatine providing evidence for a crucial role of specific components of the immune/inflammatory system in the antidepressant response and thereby in depression etiopathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raffaella Molteni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Macchi F, Homberg JR, Calabrese F, Zecchillo C, Racagni G, Riva MA, Molteni R. Altered inflammatory responsiveness in serotonin transporter mutant rats. J Neuroinflammation 2013; 10:116. [PMID: 24050835 PMCID: PMC3848577 DOI: 10.1186/1742-2094-10-116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2013] [Accepted: 09/09/2013] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Growing evidence suggests that alterations of the inflammatory/immune system contribute to the pathogenesis of depression. Indeed, depressed patients exhibit increased levels of inflammatory markers in both the periphery and the brain, and high comorbidity exists between major depression and diseases associated with inflammatory alterations. In order to characterize the link between depression and inflammation, we aimed to investigate whether an altered inflammatory system is present in a genetic model of vulnerability for depression, namely rats with partial or total deletion of the serotonin transporter (SERT) gene. Methods Wild-type, heterozygous and homozygous SERT rats were analyzed under basal condition or following a challenge with an acute injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and killed 24 h or 5 days later. Results We found that SERT mutant rats show altered cytokine expression in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus at basal conditions, and they also display an exacerbated cytokine response to the LPS challenge. Moreover, mutant rats exhibit differences in the expression of markers for microglia activation. Conclusion Based on these data, we suggest that basal or functional alterations of immune/inflammatory systems might contribute to the phenotype of SERT rats and to their heightened susceptibility to depressive-like behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavia Macchi
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy.
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Milanese M, Tardito D, Musazzi L, Treccani G, Mallei A, Bonifacino T, Gabriel C, Mocaer E, Racagni G, Popoli M, Bonanno G. Chronic treatment with agomelatine or venlafaxine reduces depolarization-evoked glutamate release from hippocampal synaptosomes. BMC Neurosci 2013; 14:75. [PMID: 23895555 PMCID: PMC3734058 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2202-14-75] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2013] [Accepted: 07/26/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Growing compelling evidence from clinical and preclinical studies has demonstrated the primary role of alterations of glutamatergic transmission in cortical and limbic areas in the pathophysiology of mood disorders. Chronic antidepressants have been shown to dampen endogenous glutamate release from rat hippocampal synaptic terminals and to prevent the marked increase of glutamate overflow induced by acute behavioral stress in frontal/prefrontal cortex. Agomelatine, a new antidepressant endowed with MT1/MT2 agonist and 5-HT2C serotonergic antagonist properties, has shown efficacy at both preclinical and clinical levels. RESULTS Chronic treatment with agomelatine, or with the reference drug venlafaxine, induced a marked decrease of depolarization-evoked endogenous glutamate release from purified hippocampal synaptic terminals in superfusion. No changes were observed in GABA release. This effect was accompanied by reduced accumulation of SNARE protein complexes, the key molecular effector of vesicle docking, priming and fusion at presynaptic membranes. CONCLUSIONS Our data suggest that the novel antidepressant agomelatine share with other classes of antidepressants the ability to modulate glutamatergic transmission in hippocampus. Its action seems to be mediated by molecular mechanisms located on the presynaptic membrane and related with the size of the vesicle pool ready for release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco Milanese
- Department of Pharmacy, Unit of Pharmacology and Toxicology and Center of Excellence for Biomedical Research, Università degli Studi di Genova, Genova, Italy
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Calabrese F, Richetto J, Racagni G, Feldon J, Meyer U, Riva MA. Effects of withdrawal from repeated amphetamine exposure in peri-puberty on neuroplasticity-related genes in mice. Neuroscience 2013; 250:222-31. [PMID: 23872394 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2013.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2013] [Revised: 07/04/2013] [Accepted: 07/09/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
Although extensive evidence demonstrates that repeated administration of amphetamine (AMPH) induces behavioral and neurochemical sensitization, the influence of the developmental timing of AMPH administration is unknown. This is an important issue to address because it could help clarify the influence of early drug exposure on neuronal plasticity and the involvement of dopaminergic sensitization in the etiopathology of neuropsychiatric disorders. Thus, we decided to investigate the molecular alterations induced by the administration of AMPH during adolescence, when repeated exposure to the psychostimulant may interfere with developmental neuroplasticity. We investigated the expression of the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and of two inducible-early genes (arc and cfos) that bridge neuronal activity with long-lasting functional alterations. We found that peri-pubertal treatment with AMPH induces long-lasting changes in the expression of bdnf and of activity-regulated genes in the hippocampus and in the prefrontal/frontal cortex, and leads to alterations of their short-term modulation in response to a subsequent acute AMPH challenge. These data suggest that AMPH exposure in peri-puberty may negatively affect the maturation of brain structures, such as the prefrontal cortex, which facilitate the development of dopamine sensitization and may contribute to dopamine-dependent behavioral dysfunctions and molecular alterations in adulthood.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Calabrese
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Calabrese F, Guidotti G, Racagni G, Riva MA. Reduced neuroplasticity in aged rats: a role for the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor. Neurobiol Aging 2013; 34:2768-76. [PMID: 23870838 DOI: 10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2013.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/05/2013] [Revised: 06/01/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Aging is a physiological process characterized by a significant reduction of neuronal plasticity that might contribute to the functional defects observed in old subjects. Even if the neurobiological mechanisms that contribute to such impairment remain largely unknown, a role for neurotrophic molecules, such as the neurotrophin brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), has been postulated. On this basis, the purpose of this study was to provide a detailed investigation of the BDNF system, at transcriptional and translational levels, in the ventral and dorsal hippocampus and in the prefrontal cortex of middle-aged and old rats, compared with in adult animals. The expression of major players in BDNF regulation and response, including the transcription factors, calcium-responsive transcription factor, cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) responsive element-binding protein (CREB), and neuronal Per Arnt Sim (PAS) domain protein 4, and the high-affinity receptor tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB), was also analyzed. Our results demonstrate that the BDNF system is affected at different levels in aged rats with global impairment including reduced transcription, impaired protein synthesis and processing, and decreased activation of the TrkB receptors. These modifications might contribute to the cognitive deficits associated with aging and suggest that pharmacological strategies aimed at restoring reduced neurotrophism might be useful to counteract age-related cognitive decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Calabrese
- Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Guidotti G, Calabrese F, Anacker C, Racagni G, Pariante CM, Riva MA. Glucocorticoid receptor and FKBP5 expression is altered following exposure to chronic stress: modulation by antidepressant treatment. Neuropsychopharmacology 2013; 38:616-27. [PMID: 23169346 PMCID: PMC3572458 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2012.225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2012] [Revised: 09/17/2012] [Accepted: 10/10/2012] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Major depression is thought to originate from the interaction between susceptibility genes and adverse environmental events, in particular stress. The hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is the major system involved in stress response and its dysregulation is an important element in the pathogenesis of depression. The stress response is therefore finely tuned through a series of mechanisms that control the trafficking of glucocorticoid receptors (GRs) to the nucleus, including binding to the chaperone protein FKBP5 and receptor phosphorylation, suggesting that these elements may also be affected under pathologic conditions. On these bases, we investigated FKBP5 and GR expression and phosphorylation in the hippocampus (ventral and dorsal) and in the prefrontal cortex of rats exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS) and we analyzed the effect of a concomitant antidepressant treatment. We found that animals exposed to CMS show increased expression of FKBP5 as well as enhanced cytoplasmic levels of GR, primarily in ventral hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Chronic treatment with the antidepressant duloxetine is able to normalize such alterations, mainly in the prefrontal cortex. Moreover, we demonstrate that CMS-induced alterations of GR trafficking and transcription may be sustained by changes in receptor phosphorylation, which are also modulated by pharmacological intervention. In summary, while GR-related changes after CMS might be relevant for the depressive phenotype, the ability of antidepressant treatment to correct some of these alterations may contribute to the normalization of HPA axis dysfunctions associated with stress-related disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluigi Guidotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Centro di Neurofarmacologia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Centro di Neurofarmacologia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Christoph Anacker
- Section of Perinatal Psychiatry and Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology (SPI-lab), Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Centro di Neurofarmacologia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Carmine M Pariante
- Section of Perinatal Psychiatry and Stress, Psychiatry and Immunology (SPI-lab), Department of Psychological Medicine, King's College London, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
| | - Marco A Riva
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Centro di Neurofarmacologia, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
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Giannotti G, Caffino L, Calabrese F, Racagni G, Fumagalli F. Dynamic modulation of basic Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF-2) expression in the rat brain following repeated exposure to cocaine during adolescence. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2013; 225:553-60. [PMID: 22895673 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-012-2840-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2012] [Accepted: 08/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Our study stems from four related lines of evidence: (1) FGF-2 is expressed in the developing brain; (2) psychostimulants modulate FGF-2 expression; (3) stress alters FGF-2 expression; and (4) exogenous administration of FGF-2 long-lastingly alters cocaine acquisition of self-administration. OBJECTIVES This research aims to study the effects of adolescent cocaine exposure on FGF-2 mRNA levels and its influence on the response to stress. MATERIALS AND METHODS Rats were treated subcutaneously with saline or cocaine from postnatal day (PND) 28 to PND 42, a period that roughly approximates adolescence in humans. At PND 45 and PND 90, rats were exposed to an acute stress. Real-time PCRs were performed on total RNA extracted from the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens and striatum. RESULTS In the prefrontal cortex, repeated cocaine treatment during adolescence increased FGF-2 mRNA levels in PND 90 rats and altered its response to an acute stress in both PND 45 and PND 90 rats. In the hippocampus of PND 45 rats, we found an increase of FGF-2 mRNA levels following repeated cocaine administration. No changes in the trophic factor gene expression were found in the striatum and nucleus accumbens. CONCLUSIONS Our data show that cocaine exposure during adolescence alters FGF-2 mRNA levels throughout life in rat prefrontal cortex and modulates its response to an adverse event. These results point to FGF-2 as a potential molecular target through which exposure to cocaine early in life may dynamically and persistently alter brain homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Giannotti
- Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, Milan, Italy
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Calabrese F, Guidotti G, Molteni R, Racagni G, Mancini M, Riva MA. Stress-induced changes of hippocampal NMDA receptors: modulation by duloxetine treatment. PLoS One 2012; 7:e37916. [PMID: 22666412 PMCID: PMC3362535 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0037916] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2011] [Accepted: 04/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
It is now well established that the glutamatergic system contributes to the pathophysiology of depression. Exposure to stress, a major precipitating factor for depression, enhances glutamate release that can contribute to structural abnormalities observed in the brain of depressed subjects. On the other hand, it has been demonstrated that NMDA antagonists, like ketamine, exert an antidepressant effect at preclinical and clinical levels. On these bases, the purpose of our study was to investigate whether chronic mild stress is associated with specific alterations of the NMDA receptor complex, in adult rats, and to establish whether concomitant antidepressant treatment could normalize such deficits. We found that chronic stress increases the expression of the obligatory GluN1 subunit, as well as of the accessory subunits GluN2A and GluN2B at transcriptional and translational levels, particularly in the ventral hippocampus. Concomitant treatment with the antidepressant duloxetine was able to normalize the increase of glutamatergic receptor subunit expression, and correct the changes in receptor phosphorylation produced by stress exposure. Our data suggest that prolonged stress, a condition that has etiologic relevance for depression, may enhance glutamate activity through post-synaptic mechanisms, by regulating NMDA receptors, and that antidepressants may in part normalize such changes. Our results provide support to the notion that antidepressants may exert their activity in the long-term also via modulation of the glutamatergic synapse.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Calabrese
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Gianluigi Guidotti
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Raffaella Molteni
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Michele Mancini
- Medical Department, Eli Lilly Italia S.p.A., Sesto Fiorentino, Italy
| | - Marco Andrea Riva
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological and Biomolecular Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
- * E-mail:
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Guidotti G, Calabrese F, Auletta F, Olivier J, Racagni G, Homberg J, Riva MA. Developmental influence of the serotonin transporter on the expression of npas4 and GABAergic markers: modulation by antidepressant treatment. Neuropsychopharmacology 2012; 37:746-58. [PMID: 22012473 PMCID: PMC3260971 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2011.252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Alterations of the serotonergic system are involved in the pathophysiology of mood disorders and represent an important target for its pharmacological treatment. Genetic deletion of the serotonin transporter (SERT) in rodents leads to an anxious and depressive phenotype, and is associated with reduced neuronal plasticity as indicated by decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor (Bdnf) expression levels. One of the transcription factors regulating Bdnf is the neuronal PAS domain protein 4 (Npas4), which regulates activity-dependent genes and neuroprotection, and has a critical role in the development of GABA synapses. On the basis of these premises, we investigated the expression of Npas4 and GABAergic markers in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex of homozygous (SERT(-/-)) and heterozygous (SERT(+/-)) knockout rats, and analyzed the effect of long-term duloxetine treatment on the expression of these targets. We found that Npas4 expression was reduced in both the brain structures of adult SERT(+/-) and SERT(-/-) animals. This effect was already present in adolescent SERT(-/-), and could be mimicked by prenatal exposure to the antidepressant fluoxetine. Moreover, SERT(-/-) rats showed a strong impairment of the GABAergic system, as indicated by the reduction of several markers, including the vesicular transporter (Vgat), glutamic acid decarboxylase-67 (Gad67), the receptor subunit GABA A receptor, gamma 2 (GABA(A)-γ2), and calcium-binding proteins that label subgroups of the GABAergic neurons. Interestingly, chronic treatment with the antidepressant duloxetine was able to restore the physiological levels of Npas4 and GABAergic markers in SERT(-/-) rats, although some differences in the modulation of GABAergic genes exist between hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. Our results demonstrate that SERT knockout rats, an animal model of mood disorders, have reduced Npas4 expression that correlates with decreased expression of Bdnf exon I and IV. These changes lead to an impairment of the GABAergic system that may contribute to the anxious and depressive phenotype associated with inherited SERT downregulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianluigi Guidotti
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Calabrese
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Francesca Auletta
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Jocelien Olivier
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Giorgio Racagni
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy,Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Judith Homberg
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Marco A Riva
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Universita' degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy,Center of Excellence on Neurodegenerative Diseases, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy,Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy, Tel: +39 02 50318334, Fax: +39 02 50318278, E-mail:
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Racagni G, Riva MA, Molteni R, Musazzi L, Calabrese F, Popoli M, Tardito D. Mode of action of agomelatine: synergy between melatonergic and 5-HT2C receptors. World J Biol Psychiatry 2011; 12:574-87. [PMID: 21999473 DOI: 10.3109/15622975.2011.595823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 90] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The association between depression and circadian rhythm disturbances is well established and successful treatment of depressed patients is accompanied by restoration of circadian rhythms. The new antidepressant agomelatine is an agonist of melatonergic MT₁/MT₂ receptors as well as an antagonist of serotonergic 5-HT2C receptors. Animal studies showed that agomelatine resynchronizes disturbed circadian rhythms and reduces depression-like behaviour. METHODS This review analyzes results from different experimental studies. RESULTS Recent data on the effects of agomelatine on cellular processes involved in antidepressant mechanisms have shown that the drug is able to increase the expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in prefrontal cortex and hippocampus, as well as the expression of activity-regulated cytoskeleton associated protein (Arc) in the prefrontal cortex. In line with this, prolonged treatment with agomelatine increases neurogenesis within the hippocampus, particularly via enhancement of neuronal cell survival. Agomelatine attenuates stress-induced glutamate release in the prefrontal/frontal cortex. Treatment with 5-HT2C antagonists or melatonin alone failed to reproduce these effects. CONCLUSIONS The unique mode of action of agomelatine may improve the management of major depression by counteracting the pathogenesis of depression at cellular level, thereby relieving the symptoms of depression. These effects are suggested to be due to a synergistic action on MT₁/MT₂ and 5-HT2C receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgio Racagni
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.
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Fumagalli F, Calabrese F, Luoni A, Shahid M, Racagni G, Riva MA. The AMPA receptor potentiator Org 26576 modulates stress-induced transcription of BDNF isoforms in rat hippocampus. Pharmacol Res 2011; 65:176-81. [PMID: 22079295 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2011.10.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2011] [Revised: 10/10/2011] [Accepted: 10/25/2011] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Brain derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is a key mediator of brain plasticity. The modulation of its expression and function is important for cognition and represents a key strategy to enhance neuronal resilience. Within this context, there exists a close interaction between glutamatergic neurotransmission and BDNF activity towards regulating cellular homeostasis and plasticity. The aim of the current study was to investigate the ability of the AMPA receptor potentiator Org 26576 to modulate BDNF expression in selected brain regions under basal conditions or in response to an acute swim stress. Rats subjected to a single intraperitoneal injection with Org 26576 (10mg/kg) or saline were exposed to a swim stress session (5 min) and sacrificed 15 min after the end of stress. Real-time PCR assay was used to determine changes in BDNF transcription in different brain regions. Total BDNF mRNA levels were significantly increased in the hippocampus of animals exposed to the combination of Org 26576 and stress whereas, in prefrontal and frontal cortices, BDNF mRNA levels were modulated by the acute stress, independently from drug treatment. The analysis of BDNF transcripts in the hippocampus revealed a major contribution of exons I and IV. Our results suggest that AMPA receptor potentiation by Org 26576 exerts a positive modulatory influence on BDNF expression during ongoing neuronal activity. Given that these mechanisms are critical for neuronal plasticity, we hypothesized that such changes may facilitate learning/coping mechanisms associated with a mild stressful experience.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Fumagalli
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, Milan, Italy
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Caffino L, Racagni G, Fumagalli F. Stress and cocaine interact to modulate Arc/Arg3.1 expression in rat brain. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 218:241-8. [PMID: 21590283 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-011-2331-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2011] [Accepted: 04/26/2011] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
RATIONALE The interaction between stress and drugs of abuse is a critical component of drug addiction, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain elusive. Arc/Arg3.1 is an effector immediate early gene that may represent a bridge connecting short- and long-term neuronal modifications associated with exposure to stress and drugs of abuse. OBJECTIVES This research aims to study the modulation of Arc/Arg3.1 expression as a marker of neuronal changes associated with exposure to stress and cocaine. MATERIALS AND METHODS Rats exposed to either single or repeated stress sessions were subjected to a single intraperitoneal injection of cocaine hydrochloride (10 mg/kg) and sacrificed 2 h later. RNase protection assay was used to determine changes in Arc/Arg3.1 gene expression in different brain regions. RESULTS We found significant stress-cocaine interactions in the prefrontal cortex (p < 0.001) and hypothalamus (p < 0.05). In the prefrontal cortex, acute stress potentiated cocaine-induced Arc/Arg3.1 mRNA elevation, whereas prolonged stress attenuated the response to cocaine. In the hypothalamus, although markedly reduced by acute stress, Arc/Arg3.1 gene expression was still increased by cocaine. No interaction was observed following repeated stress. Notably, cocaine-induced Arc/Arg3.1 mRNA levels were not influenced by stress in striatum and hippocampus. CONCLUSIONS In our experimental model, stress interacted with cocaine to alter Arc/Arg3.1 expression in a regionally selective fashion and in a way that depended on whether stress was acute or repeated. These results point to Arc/Arg3.1 as a potential molecular target modulated by stress to alter cellular sensitivity to cocaine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Caffino
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Center of Neuropharmacology, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
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Barbon A, Orlandi C, La Via L, Caracciolo L, Tardito D, Musazzi L, Mallei A, Gennarelli M, Racagni G, Popoli M, Barlati S. Antidepressant treatments change 5-HT2C receptor mRNA expression in rat prefrontal/frontal cortex and hippocampus. Neuropsychobiology 2011; 63:160-8. [PMID: 21228608 DOI: 10.1159/000321593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2010] [Accepted: 09/27/2010] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIMS Compelling evidence would suggest the involvement of the serotonin 2C receptor in the pathophysiology of affective disorders and in the action of antidepressants. We analyzed the time course of 5-HT2C receptor (5-HTR2C) mRNA expression during antidepressant treatment in the prefrontal/frontal cortex (P/FC) and in the hippocampus (HC) of rats chronically treated with fluoxetine (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) and reboxetine (a selective noradrenaline reuptake inhibitor). We also analyzed the 5-HTR2C RNA-editing levels at the sites called A, B, C, C' and D, which are known to modulate 5-HTR2C receptor function. RESULTS The expression profile of 5-HTR2C mRNA was modified during treatment with both antidepressants. In particular, we found a general down-regulation of 5-HTR2C mRNA expression in P/FC, which became significant after 3 weeks of treatment with both antidepressants and persisted after a fourth week of drug withdrawal (-46% with fluoxetine, -41% with reboxetine, p < 0.05). In HC, however, reboxetine induced significant down-regulation (-56%, p < 0.05) of 5-HTR2C mRNA after 3 weeks, while fluoxetine induced threefold up-regulation (p < 0.01) by the 2nd and 3rd week, returning to the base level after drug withdrawal of both antidepressants. Moreover, the frequency of 5-HTR2C-edited isoforms showed no significant alterations, although analysis of the RNA-editing level at the single editing sites showed small decreases in the C' and D sites induced by reboxetine in P/FC. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that chronic administration of antidepressants in rats slightly modifies the editing levels of 5-HT2C receptor but has considerable influence on its mRNA expression patterns in a way that is area- and time-specific.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Barbon
- Division of Biology and Genetics, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Biotechnologies and National Institute of Neuroscience, University of Brescia, Brescia, Italy
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Musazzi L, Racagni G, Popoli M. Stress, glucocorticoids and glutamate release: effects of antidepressant drugs. Neurochem Int 2011; 59:138-49. [PMID: 21689704 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuint.2011.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2011] [Revised: 05/26/2011] [Accepted: 05/30/2011] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Stressful life events impact on memory, cognition and emotional responses, and are known to precipitate mood/anxiety disorders. It is increasingly recognized that stress and its neurochemical and endocrine mediators induce changes in glutamate synapses and circuitry, and this in turn modify mental states. Half a century after the monoamine hypothesis, it is widely accepted that maladaptive changes in excitatory/inhibitory circuitry have a primary role in the pathophysiology of mood/anxiety disorders. The neuroplasticity hypothesis posits that volumetric changes consistently found in limbic and cortical areas of depressed subjects are in good part due to remodeling of neuronal dendritic arbors and loss of synaptic spines. A considerable body of work, carried out with in vivo microdialysis as well as alternative methodologies, has shown that both stress and corticosterone treatment induce enhancement of activity-dependent glutamate release. Accordingly, results from preclinical studies suggest that stress- and glucocorticoid-induced enhancement of glutamate release and transmission plays a main role in the induction of maladaptive cellular effects, in turn responsible for dendritic remodeling. Additional recent work has showed that drugs employed for therapy of mood/anxiety disorders (antidepressants) prevent the enhancement of glutamate release induced by stress. Understanding the action of traditional drugs on glutamate transmission could be of great help in developing drugs that may work directly at this level.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Musazzi
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, University of Milano, Italy
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Calabrese F, Molteni R, Gabriel C, Mocaer E, Racagni G, Riva MA. Modulation of neuroplastic molecules in selected brain regions after chronic administration of the novel antidepressant agomelatine. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2011; 215:267-75. [PMID: 21181122 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-010-2129-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2010] [Accepted: 12/01/2010] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Neuronal plasticity is associated with depression, probably as a result of modified expression of proteins important for cellular resiliency. It is therefore important to establish if and how antidepressant drugs may be able to regulate these mechanisms in order to achieve relevant clinical effects. OBJECTIVE We investigated the effects of chronic treatment with agomelatine (an MT(1)/MT(2) receptor agonist and 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist) on the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), fibroblast growth factor (FGF-2), and activity-regulated cytoskeleton-associated protein (Arc). METHODS Animals were treated for 21 days with agomelatine, venlafaxine, or a vehicle and sacrificed 1 h (6 p.m.) or 16 h after the last injection (9 a.m.) to evaluate the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression of these neuroplastic markers in the hippocampus and prefrontal cortex. RESULTS Agomelatine, but not venlafaxine, produced major transcriptional changes in the hippocampus, where significant up-regulations of BDNF and FGF-2 were observed. Both drugs up-regulated the Arc transcription levels. No effects were observed in the prefrontal cortex. Instead, the levels of BDNF protein were elevated by agomelatine in both regions: the effects of the drug on mRNA levels in the hippocampus and cortex are different, while the effects on the protein seem to have the same cumulative result, suggesting different modulatory mechanisms in the two regions. CONCLUSIONS Our data provide new information regarding the molecular mechanisms that contribute to the chronic effects of the new antidepressant agomelatine on brain function. The ability of agomelatine to modulate the expression of these neuroplastic molecules, which follows a circadian rhythm, may contribute to its antidepressant action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Calabrese
- Center of Neuropharmacology, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Balzaretti 9, 20133 Milan, Italy
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