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Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Neurological Disorders and Neuropsychiatric Illnesses

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A special issue of Cells (ISSN 2073-4409). This special issue belongs to the section "Cells of the Nervous System".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 February 2023) | Viewed by 35869

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Yumin Zhang

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Guest Editor

Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA
Interests: traumatic brain injury; neuropathic pain; multiple sclerosis; endocannabinoids; eicosanoids
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Qing-Song Liu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
Interests: endocannabinoid; anxiety; depression; drug addiction

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Emerging evidence supports that modulation of the endocannabinoid system can impact the development and treatment of many neurological, neuropsychiatric, inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Despite many preclinical studies indicating that enhancement of endocannabinoid tone is neuroprotective, the biological substrates and the underlying mechanisms of the endocannabinoids action are still not well-elucidated and are likely to be varied depending on the different pathological conditions. In this Special Issue, we hope to provide more preclinical and clinical evidence for better understanding the role of endocannabinoid signaling in nervous system health and diseases. The research areas include but are not limited to neurodegenerative diseases, aging, stroke/ischemia, traumatic brain injury and posttraumatic syndromes, migraine, inflammatory and neuropathic pain, anxiety, depression and psychiatric illnesses. Original in vitro and in vivo experimental studies, review articles, and clinical studies are all welcome for submission.

Dr. Yumin Zhang
Prof. Dr. Qing-Song Liu
Guest Editors

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Keywords

Endocannabinoids
Cannabinoid receptors
FAAH
MAGL
Inflammation
Neurodegeneration
Neuroprotection

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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18 pages, 2868 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Behavioral Studies of p62 KO Animals with Implications of a Modulated Function of the Endocannabinoid System

by Christina Keller, Sebastian Rading, Laura Bindila and Meliha Karsak

Cells 2022, 11(9), 1517; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11091517 - 30 Apr 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2254

Abstract

Elementary emotional states and memory can be regulated by the homeostasis of the endocannabinoid system (ECS). Links between the ECS and the autophagy receptor p62 have been found at the molecular level and in animal studies. This project aimed to validate the anxiety and memory phenotype of p62 knockout (KO) animals and whether the ECS plays a role in this. We examined the behavior of p62 KO animals and analyzed whether endocannabinoid levels are altered in the responsible brain areas. We discovered in age-dependent obese p62 KO mice decreased anandamide levels in the amygdala, a brain structure important for emotional responses. Against our expectation, p62 KO animals did not exhibit an anxiety phenotype, but showed slightly increased exploratory behavior as evidenced in novel object and further tests. In addition, KO animals exhibited decreased freezing responses in the fear conditioning. Administration of the phytocannabinoid delta⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) resulted in lesser effects on locomotion but in comparable hypothermic effects in p62 KO compared with WT littermates. Our results do not confirm previously published results, as our mouse line does not exhibit a drastic behavioral phenotype. Moreover, we identified further indications of a connection to the ECS and hence offer new perspectives for future investigations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Neurological Disorders and Neuropsychiatric Illnesses)

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25 pages, 3704 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Inhibitory Neurotransmission Is Sex-Dependently Affected by Tat Expression in Transgenic Mice and Suppressed by the Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase Enzyme Inhibitor PF3845 via Cannabinoid Type-1 Receptor Mechanisms

by Changqing Xu, Barkha J. Yadav-Samudrala, Callie Xu, Bhupendra Nath, Twisha Mistry, Wei Jiang, Micah J. Niphakis, Benjamin F. Cravatt, Somnath Mukhopadhyay, Aron H. Lichtman, Bogna M. Ignatowska-Jankowska and Sylvia Fitting

Cells 2022, 11(5), 857; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11050857 - 2 Mar 2022

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3107

Abstract

(1) Background. The endocannabinoid (eCB) system, which regulates physiological and cognitive processes, presents a promising therapeutic target for treating HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (HAND). Here we examine whether upregulating eCB tone has potential protective effects against HIV-1 Tat (a key HIV transactivator of transcription) protein-induced alterations in synaptic activity. (2) Methods. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed to assess inhibitory GABAergic neurotransmission in prefrontal cortex slices of Tat transgenic male and female mice, in the presence and absence of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) enzyme inhibitor PF3845. Western blot and mass spectrometry analyses assessed alterations of cannabinoid receptor and enzyme protein expression as well as endogenous ligands, respectively, to determine the impact of Tat exposure on the eCB system. (3) Results. GABAergic activity was significantly altered upon Tat exposure based on sex, whereas the effectiveness of PF3845 to suppress GABAergic activity in Tat transgenic mice was not altered by Tat or sex and involved CB₁R-related mechanisms that depended on calcium signaling. Additionally, our data indicated sex-dependent changes for AEA and related non-eCB lipids based on Tat induction. (4) Conclusion. Results highlight sex- and/or Tat-dependent alterations of GABAergic activity and eCB signaling in the prefrontal cortex of Tat transgenic mice and further increase our understanding about the role of FAAH inhibition in neuroHIV. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Neurological Disorders and Neuropsychiatric Illnesses)

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17 pages, 2130 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Neuroprotective Effects of the CB2 Agonist GW842166x in the 6-OHDA Mouse Model of Parkinson’s Disease

by Hao Yu, Xiaojie Liu, Bixuan Chen, Casey R. Vickstrom, Vladislav Friedman, Thomas J. Kelly, Xiaowen Bai, Li Zhao, Cecilia J. Hillard and Qing-Song Liu

Cells 2021, 10(12), 3548; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10123548 - 16 Dec 2021

Cited by 21 | Viewed by 5395

Abstract

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a chronic neurodegenerative disorder associated with dopamine neuron loss and motor dysfunction. Neuroprotective agents that prevent dopamine neuron death hold great promise for slowing the disease’s progression. The activation of cannabinoid (CB) receptors has shown neuroprotective effects in preclinical models of neurodegenerative disease, traumatic brain injury, and stroke, and may provide neuroprotection against PD. Here, we report that the selective CB2 agonist GW842166x exerted protective effects against the 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA)-induced loss of dopamine neurons and its associated motor function deficits in mice, as shown by an improvement in balance beam walking, pole, grip strength, rotarod, and amphetamine-induced rotation tests. The neuroprotective effects of GW842166x were prevented by the CB2 receptor antagonist AM630, suggesting a CB2-dependent mechanism. To investigate potential mechanisms for the neuroprotective effects of GW842166x, we performed electrophysiological recordings from substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) dopamine neurons in ex vivo midbrain slices prepared from drug-naïve mice. We found that the bath application of GW842166x led to a decrease in action potential firing, likely due to a decrease in hyperpolarization-activated currents (I_h) and a shift of the half-activation potential (V_1/2) of I_h to a more hyperpolarized level. Taken together, the CB2 agonist GW842166x may reduce the vulnerability of dopamine neurons to 6-OHDA by decreasing the action potential firing of these neurons and the associated calcium load. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Neurological Disorders and Neuropsychiatric Illnesses)

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13 pages, 1953 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adolescent THC Treatment Does Not Potentiate the Behavioral Effects in Adulthood of Maternal Immune Activation

by Todd M. Stollenwerk and Cecilia J. Hillard

Cells 2021, 10(12), 3503; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10123503 - 11 Dec 2021

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3462

Abstract

Both in utero exposure to maternal immune activation and cannabis use during adolescence have been associated with increased risk for the development of schizophrenia; however, whether these exposures exert synergistic effects on brain function is not known. In the present study, mild maternal immune activation (MIA) was elicited in mice with prenatal exposure to polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly(I:C)), and ∆⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) was provided throughout adolescence in cereal (3 mg/kg/day for 5 days). Neither THC nor MIA pretreatments altered activity in assays used to characterize hyperdopaminergic states in adulthood: amphetamine hyperlocomotion and prepulse inhibition of the acoustic startle reflex. Adolescent THC treatment elicited deficits in spatial memory and enhanced spatial reversal learning in adult female mice in the Morris water maze, while exposure to MIA elicited female-specific deficits in fear extinction learning in adulthood. There were no effects in these assays in adult males, nor were there interactions between THC and MIA in adult females. While doses of poly(I:C) and THC were sufficient to elicit behavioral effects, particularly relating to cognitive performance in females, there was no evidence that adolescent THC exposure synergized with the risk imposed by MIA to worsen behavioral outcomes in adult mice of either sex. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Neurological Disorders and Neuropsychiatric Illnesses)

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20 pages, 4221 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Novel Monoacylglycerol Lipase Inhibitor MJN110 Suppresses Neuroinflammation, Normalizes Synaptic Composition and Improves Behavioral Performance in the Repetitive Traumatic Brain Injury Mouse Model

by Prabhuanand Selvaraj, Mikiei Tanaka, Jie Wen and Yumin Zhang

Cells 2021, 10(12), 3454; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10123454 - 8 Dec 2021

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3642

Abstract

Modulation of the endocannabinoid system has emerged as an effective approach for the treatment of many neurodegenerative and neuropsychological diseases. However, the underlying mechanisms are still uncertain. Using a repetitive mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) mouse model, we found that there was an impairment in locomotor function and working memory within two weeks post-injury, and that treatment with MJN110, a novel inhibitor of the principal 2-arachidononyl glycerol (2-AG) hydrolytic enzyme monoacylglycerol lipase dose-dependently ameliorated those behavioral changes. Spatial learning and memory deficits examined by Morris water maze between three and four weeks post-TBI were also reversed in the drug treated animals. Administration of MJN110 selectively elevated the levels of 2-AG and reduced the production of arachidonic acid (AA) and prostaglandin E₂ (PGE₂) in the TBI mouse brain. The increased production of proinflammatory cytokines, accumulation of astrocytes and microglia in the TBI mouse ipsilateral cerebral cortex and hippocampus were significantly reduced by MJN110 treatment. Neuronal cell death was also attenuated in the drug treated animals. MJN110 treatment normalized the expression of the NMDA receptor subunits NR2A and NR2B, the AMPA receptor subunits GluR1 and GluR2, and the GABA_A receptor subunits α1, β2,3 and γ2, which were all reduced at 1, 2 and 4 weeks post-injury. The reduced inflammatory response and restored glutamate and GABA receptor expression likely contribute to the improved motor function, learning and memory in the MJN110 treated animals. The therapeutic effects of MJN110 were partially mediated by activation of CB1 and CB2 cannabinoid receptors and were eliminated when it was co-administered with DO34, a novel inhibitor of the 2-AG biosynthetic enzymes. Our results suggest that augmentation of the endogenous levels of 2-AG can be therapeutically useful in the treatment of TBI by suppressing neuroinflammation and maintaining the balance between excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmission. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Neurological Disorders and Neuropsychiatric Illnesses)

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16 pages, 4058 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Dual Inhibition of FAAH and MAGL Counteracts Migraine-like Pain and Behavior in an Animal Model of Migraine

by Rosaria Greco, Chiara Demartini, Miriam Francavilla, Anna Maria Zanaboni and Cristina Tassorelli

Cells 2021, 10(10), 2543; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10102543 - 26 Sep 2021

Cited by 22 | Viewed by 5366

Abstract

The endocannabinoid system exerts an important role in pain processing and modulation. Modulation of the system with hydrolase inhibitors of anandamide (AEA) or 2-arachidonyl glycerol (2-AG) has proved effective in reducing migraine-like features in animal models of migraine. Here, we investigated the effect of dual inhibition of the AEA and 2-AG catabolic pathways in the nitroglycerin-based animal model of migraine. The dual inhibitor JZL195 was administered to rats 2 h after nitroglycerin or vehicle injection. Rats were then exposed to the open field test and the orofacial formalin test. At the end of the tests, they were sacrificed to evaluate calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) serum levels and gene expression of CGRP and cytokines in the cervical spinal cord and the trigeminal ganglion. The dual inhibitor significantly reduced the nitroglycerin-induced trigeminal hyperalgesia and pain-associated behavior, possibly via cannabinoid 1 receptors-mediated action, but it did not change the hypomotility and the anxiety behaviors induced by nitroglycerin. The decreased hyperalgesia was associated with a reduction in CGRP and cytokine gene expression levels in central and peripheral structures and reduced CGRP serum levels. These data suggest an antinociceptive synergy of the endocannabinoid action in peripheral and central sites, confirming that this system participates in reduction of cephalic pain signals. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Neurological Disorders and Neuropsychiatric Illnesses)

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Review

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23 pages, 980 KiB

Open AccessReview

Preclinical Studies of Posttraumatic Headache and the Potential Therapeutics

by Mikiei Tanaka and Yumin Zhang

Cells 2023, 12(1), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells12010155 - 30 Dec 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 2637

Abstract

Posttraumatic headache (PTH) attributed to traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a secondary headache developed within 7 days after head injury, and in a substantial number of patients PTH becomes chronic and lasts for more than 3 months. Current medications are almost entirely relied on the treatment of primary headache such as migraine, due to its migraine-like phenotype and the limited understanding on the PTH pathogenic mechanisms. To this end, increasing preclinical studies have been conducted in the last decade. We focus in this review on the trigeminovascular system from the animal studies since it provides the primary nociceptive sensory afferents innervating the head and face region, and the pathological changes in the trigeminal pathway are thought to play a key role in the development of PTH. In addition to the pathologies, PTH-like behaviors induced by TBI and further exacerbated by nitroglycerin, a general headache inducer through vasodilation are reviewed. We will overview the current pharmacotherapies including calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) monoclonal antibody and sumatriptan in the PTH animal models. Given that modulation of the endocannabinoid (eCB) system has been well-documented in the treatment of migraine and TBI, the therapeutic potential of eCB in PTH will also be discussed. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Neurological Disorders and Neuropsychiatric Illnesses)

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38 pages, 11700 KiB

Open AccessReview

Polypharmacological Approaches for CNS Diseases: Focus on Endocannabinoid Degradation Inhibition

by Alessandro Papa, Silvia Pasquini, Chiara Contri, Sandra Gemma, Giuseppe Campiani, Stefania Butini, Katia Varani and Fabrizio Vincenzi

Cells 2022, 11(3), 471; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells11030471 - 29 Jan 2022

Cited by 24 | Viewed by 5011

Abstract

Polypharmacology breaks up the classical paradigm of “one-drug, one target, one disease” electing multitarget compounds as potential therapeutic tools suitable for the treatment of complex diseases, such as metabolic syndrome, psychiatric or degenerative central nervous system (CNS) disorders, and cancer. These diseases often require a combination therapy which may result in positive but also negative synergistic effects. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) is emerging as a particularly attractive therapeutic target in CNS disorders and neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Huntington’s disease (HD), multiple sclerosis (MS), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI), pain, and epilepsy. ECS is an organized neuromodulatory network, composed by endogenous cannabinoids, cannabinoid receptors type 1 and type 2 (CB₁ and CB₂), and the main catabolic enzymes involved in the endocannabinoid inactivation such as fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL). The multiple connections of the ECS with other signaling pathways in the CNS allows the consideration of the ECS as an optimal source of inspiration in the development of innovative polypharmacological compounds. In this review, we focused our attention on the reported polypharmacological examples in which FAAH and MAGL inhibitors are involved. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Neurological Disorders and Neuropsychiatric Illnesses)

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13 pages, 1166 KiB

Open AccessReview

Endocannabinoid Metabolism and Traumatic Brain Injury

by Dexiao Zhu, Fei Gao and Chu Chen

Cells 2021, 10(11), 2979; https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10112979 - 2 Nov 2021

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3567

Abstract

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) represents a major cause of morbidity and disability and is a risk factor for developing neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, no effective therapies are currently available for TBI-induced AD-like disease. Endocannabinoids are endogenous lipid mediators involved in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. The compound 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is the most abundant endocannabinoid with profound anti-inflammatory and neuroprotective properties. This molecule is predominantly metabolized by monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), a key enzyme degrading about 85% of 2-AG in the brain. Studies using animal models of inflammation, AD, and TBI provide evidence that inactivation of MAGL, which augments 2-AG signaling and reduces its metabolites, exerts neuroprotective effects, suggesting that MAGL is a promising therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases. In this short review, we provide an overview of the inhibition of 2-AG metabolism for the alleviation of neuropathology and the improvement of synaptic and cognitive functions after TBI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Modulation of the Endocannabinoid System in Neurological Disorders and Neuropsychiatric Illnesses)

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