On the possible role of ERK, p38 and CaMKII in the regulation of CGRP expression in morphine-tolerant rats

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The neuropeptide, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has been proposed to be a regulator of the development of morphine analgesic tolerance and thereby could be a target to reduce the induction of this phenomenon under clinical conditions. However, the mechanisms of CGRP regulation are unclear. We investigated here the possible role of the extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK), p38 and calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) in CGRP regulation following chronic morphine treatment.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A 7-day treatment with morphine (15 μg/day) led to an increase in CGRP contents in the spinal cord dorsal horn (SCDH) and dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and this effect was prevented by the inhibition of the ERK, p38 or CaMKII pathway. The phosphorylation/activation of ERK, p38 and CaMKII was enhanced in the SCDH following chronic morphine while in DRG only the phosphorylation of CaMKII was increased. Moreover, our chronic morphine treatment up-regulated neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) levels in the SCDH, an effect blocked by the inhibition of the ERK, p38 or CaMKII pathway. The blockade of nNOS activity also suppressed chronic morphine-induced CGRP increases in the DRG and SCDH. Double immunofluorescence studies revealed that nNOS and CaMKII are co-localized in the SCDH and that CaMKII is activated in CGRP-expressing DRG neurons.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The activation of spinal ERK, p38 and CaMKII, alongside nNOS, is involved in chronic morphine-induced CGRP up-regulation in both the DRG and SCDH. Moreover, the stimulation of CaMKII in the DRG likely directly regulates the expression of CGRP associated with morphine analgesic tolerance.</p

Inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-α before amyloidosis prevents synaptic deficits in an Alzheimer's disease model

International audienceDeficits in synaptic structure and function are likely to underlie cognitive impairments in Alzheimer's disease. While synaptic deficits are commonly found in animal models of amyloidosis, it is unclear how amyloid pathology may impair synaptic functions. In some amyloid mouse models of Alzheimer's disease , however, synaptic deficits are preceded by hyperexcitability of glutamate synapses. In the amyloid transgenic mouse model TgCRND8, we therefore investigated whether early enhancement of gluta-matergic transmission was responsible for development of later synaptic deficits. Hippocampi from 1-month-old TgCRND8 mice revealed increased basal transmission and plasticity of glutamate synapses that was related to increased levels of tumor necrosis factor a (TNFa). Treating these 1-month-old mice for 4 weeks with the TNFa inhibitor XPro1595 prevented synaptic deficits otherwise apparent at the age of 6 months. In this mouse model at least, reversing the hyperexcitability of glutamate synapses via TNFa blockade before the onset of amyloid plaque formation prevented later synaptic deficits

Neuropeptide Y receptors (version 2019.4) in the IUPHAR/BPS Guide to Pharmacology Database

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptors (nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR Subcommittee on Neuropeptide Y Receptors [156]) are activated by the endogenous peptides neuropeptide Y, neuropeptide Y-(3-36), peptide YY, PYY-(3-36) and pancreatic polypeptide (PP). The receptor originally identified as the Y3 receptor has been identified as the CXCR4 chemokine recepter (originally named LESTR, [137]). The y6 receptor is a functional gene product in mouse, absent in rat, but contains a frame-shift mutation in primates producing a truncated non-functional gene [83]. Many of the agonists exhibit differing degrees of selectivity dependent on the species examined. For example, the potency of PP is greater at the rat Y4 receptor than at the human receptor [61]. In addition, many agonists lack selectivity for individual subtypes, but can exhibit comparable potency against pairs of NPY receptor subtypes, or have not been examined for activity at all subtypes. [125I]-PYY or [125I]-NPY can be used to label Y1, Y2, Y5 and y6 subtypes non-selectively, while [125I][cPP(1-7), NPY(19-23), Ala31, Aib32, Gln34]hPP may be used to label Y5 receptors preferentially (note that cPP denotes chicken peptide sequence and hPP is the human sequence)

Neuropeptide Y receptors in GtoPdb v.2023.1

Neuropeptide Y (NPY) receptors (nomenclature as agreed by the NC-IUPHAR Subcommittee on Neuropeptide Y Receptors [158]) are activated by the endogenous peptides neuropeptide Y, neuropeptide Y-(3-36), peptide YY, PYY-(3-36) and pancreatic polypeptide (PP). The receptor originally identified as the Y3 receptor has been identified as the CXCR4 chemokine recepter (originally named LESTR, [139]). The y6 receptor is a functional gene product in mouse, absent in rat, but contains a frame-shift mutation in primates producing a truncated non-functional gene [84]. Three-dimensional structures have been determined for subtype active receptors Y1, Y2 and Y4 [211, 114] and inactive antagonist bound Y1 and Y2 receptors [240, 210]. Many of the agonists exhibit differing degrees of selectivity dependent on the species examined. For example, the potency of PP is greater at the rat Y4 receptor than at the human receptor [62]. In addition, many agonists lack selectivity for individual subtypes, but can exhibit comparable potency against pairs of NPY receptor subtypes, or have not been examined for activity at all subtypes. [125I]-PYY or [125I]-NPY can be used to label Y1, Y2, Y5 and y6 subtypes non-selectively, while [125I][cPP(1-7), NPY(19-23), Ala31, Aib32, Gln34]hPP may be used to label Y5 receptors preferentially (note that cPP denotes chicken peptide sequence and hPP is the human sequence)

Régulations des fonctions mitochondriales dans la perspective de nouvelles pistes de traitement de la maladie d'Alzheimer

International audienceL’incidence de maladies métaboliques telles l’obésité, le diabète de type-2 et la maladie d’Alzheimer (MA), augmente partout dans le monde et devient un problème de santé publique préoccupant. Les mitochondries, au vu de leur rôle central dans la régulation du métabolisme, apparaissent comme un possible dénominateur commun de ces maladies. Or le fonctionnement des mitochondries repose sur la chaine respiratoire dont l’intégrité implique une protéine découverte pour son rôle dans la mort cellulaire par apoptose (AIF : Apoptosis Inducing Factor). Nous avons montré que dans le cortex frontal et temporal des patients décédés avec la MA, la diminution de la forme d’AIF protégeant l’intégrité de la chaine respiratoire, plutôt que l’induction de sa forme apoptotique, corrèle avec la maladie. AIF pourrait donc devenir une cible intéressante pour le développement de futures thérapies de maladies métaboliques, au-delà de la MA

Cloning and characterization of a novel mammalian PP2C isozyme

UI - 99074314NRC publication: Ye

Opioid Tolerance and Physical Dependence: Role of Spinal Neuropeptides, Excitatory Amino Acids and Their Messengers

Chronic opioid treatment results in the development of tolerance and physical dependence. The mechanisms underlying opioid tolerance and/or physical dependence are unclear. Recent studies suggest that opioid receptor or nociceptive, neural network-based adaptations contribute to this phenomenon. At the spinal level, the genesis of tolerance and physical dependence is associated with increased excitatory amino acid activity expressed through N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors in the dorsal horn. However, recent evidence also implicates spinal neuropeptide transmitters such as calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and  substance P in the development of opioid tolerance. Long term spinal morphine treatment increases CGRP-like immunostaining in the dorsal horn, and coadministration of morphine with CGRP8-37, a competitive CGRP1 receptor antagonist, prevents this response as well as loss of the analgesic potency. CGRP8-37, like N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonists, has the potential to restore morphine potency in experimental animals who are already tolerant to the opioid agonist. Recent evidence suggests that the effects of excitatory amino acid and neuropeptide receptor activity may be expressed through the generation of messengers such as nitric oxide and prostanoids. Agents that inhibit the synthesis of nitric oxide and prostanoids have the potential to inhibit and reverse spinal opioid tolerance, suggesting that this phenomenon may be expressed through the activity of these mediators. Nociceptive transmission in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord also involves activity of a number of other mediators including morphine modulatory neuropeptides, neuropeptide FF  and neuropeptide SF. The role of these mediators and their relationship with other factors implicated in tolerance remain to be determined