Study Objectives: Cannabidiol (CBD) is increasingly used as a health supplement, though few clinical studies have demonstrated benefits. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of an oral CBD-terpene formulation on sleep physiology in individuals with insomnia.
Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, randomized clinical trial, 125 individuals with insomnia received an oral administration of CBD (300 mg) and terpenes (1 mg each of linalool, myrcene, phytol, limonene, α-terpinene, α-terpineol, α-pinene, and β-caryophyllene) for ≥ 4 days/week over 4 weeks using a crossover design.
Targeting the endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling system for pain relief is an important treatment option that is only now beginning to be mechanistically explored. In this review, we focus on two recently appreciated cannabinoid-based targeting strategies, treatments with cannabidiol (CBD) and /-hydrolase domain containing 6 (ABHD6) inhibitors, which have the exciting potential to produce pain relief through distinct mechanisms of action and without intoxication. We review evidence on plant-derived cannabinoids for pain, with an emphasis on CBD and its multiple molecular targets expressed in pain pathways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrotubule targeting agents (MTAs) are commonly prescribed to treat cancers and predominantly kill cancer cells in mitosis. Significantly, some MTA-treated cancer cells escape death in mitosis, exit mitosis and become malignant polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCC). Considering the low number of cancer cells undergoing mitosis in tumor tissues, killing them in interphase may represent a favored antitumor approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGlioblastoma is universally fatal and characterized by frequent chromosomal copy number alterations harboring oncogenes and tumor suppressors. In this study, we analyzed exome-wide human glioblastoma copy number data and found that cytoband 6q27 is an independent poor prognostic marker in multiple data sets. We then combined CRISPR-Cas9 data, human spatial transcriptomic data, and human and mouse RNA sequencing data to nominate as a potential haploinsufficient tumor suppressor in the 6q27 region.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground And Purpose: Neurotransmission and neuroinflammation are controlled by local increases in both extracellular ATP and the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl glycerol (2-AG). While it is known that extracellular ATP stimulates 2-AG production in cells in culture, the dynamics and molecular mechanisms that underlie this response remain poorly understood. Detection of real-time changes in eCB levels with the genetically encoded sensor, GRAB, can address this shortfall.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCannabis Cannabinoid Res
October 2024
The endocannabinoids (eCBs), 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and arachidonoyl ethanolamine (AEA), are produced by separate enzymatic pathways, activate cannabinoid (CB) receptors with distinct pharmacological profiles, and differentially regulate pathophysiological processes. The genetically encoded sensor, GRAB, detects real-time changes in eCB levels in cells in culture and preclinical model systems; however, its activation by eCB analogues produced by cells and by phyto-CBs remains uncharacterized, a current limitation when interpreting changes in its response. This information could provide additional utility for the tool in pharmacology studies of phyto-CB action.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFMicrotubule targeting agents ( ) are commonly prescribed to treat cancers and predominantly kill cancer cells in mitosis. Significantly, some MTA-treated cancer cells can escape death in mitosis and exit mitosis, and become malignant polyploid giant cancer cells ( ). Considering the low number of malignant cells undergoing mitosis in tumor tissue, killing these cells in interphase may represent a favored antitumor approach.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The high prevalence and severe symptoms of migraines in humans emphasizes the need to identify underlying mechanisms that can be targeted for therapeutic benefit. Clinical Endocannabinoid Deficiency (CED) posits that reduced endocannabinoid tone may contribute to migraine development and other neuropathic pain conditions. While strategies that increase levels of the endocannabinoid n-arachidonoylethanolamide have been tested, few studies have investigated targeting the levels of the more abundant endocannabinoid, 2-arachidonoylgycerol, as an effective migraine intervention.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFEvidence suggests that inhibition of α/β hydrolase-domain containing 6 (ABHD6) reduces seizures; however, the molecular mechanism of this therapeutic response remains unknown. We discovered that heterozygous expression of Abhd6 (Abhd6) significantly reduced the premature lethality of Scn1a mouse pups, a genetic mouse model of Dravet Syndrome (DS). Both Abhd6 mutation and pharmacological inhibition of ABHD6 reduced the duration and incidence of thermally induced seizures in Scn1a pups.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The endocannabinoids (), 2-arachidonoylglycerol () and arachidonoyl ethanolamine (), are produced by separate enzymatic pathways, activate cannabinoid receptors with distinct pharmacology, and differentially regulate pathophysiological processes. The genetically encoded sensor, GRAB detects real-time changes in eCB levels in cells in culture and preclinical model systems; however, its activation by eCB analogues produced by cells and by phyto-cannabinoids remains uncharacterized, a current limitation when interpreting changes in its response. This information could provide additional utility for the tool in in vivo pharmacology studies of phyto-cannabinoid action.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe alkylindole (AI), WIN55212-2, modulates the activity of several proteins, including cannabinoid receptors 1 and 2 (CBR, CBR), and at least additional G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that remains uncharacterized with respect to its molecular identity and pharmacological profile. Evidence suggests that such AI-sensitive GPCRs are expressed by the human kidney cell line HEK293. We synthesized fourteen novel AI analogues and evaluated their activities at AI-sensitive GPCRs using [S]GTPγS and [H]WIN55212-2 binding in HEK293 cell membranes, and performed in silico pharmacophore modeling to identify characteristics that favor binding to AI-sensitive GPCRs versus CBR/CBR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFΔ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and its sibling, cannabidiol (CBD), are produced by the same Cannabis plant and have similar chemical structures but differ dramatically in their mechanisms of action and effects on brain functions. Both THC and CBD exhibit promising therapeutic properties; however, impairments and increased incidence of mental health diseases are associated with acute and chronic THC use, respectively, and significant side effects are associated with chronic use of high-dose CBD. This review covers recent molecular and preclinical discoveries concerning the distinct mechanisms of action and bioactivities of THC and CBD and their impact on human behavior and diseases.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCannabis Cannabinoid Res
April 2022
Activation of cannabinoid 1 receptors (CBRs) by endocannabinoids (eCBs) is controlled by both eCB production and eCB inactivation. Accordingly, inhibition of eCB hydrolyzing enzymes, monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL) and α/β-hydrolase domain containing 6 (ABHD6), enhances eCB accumulation and CBR activation. It is known that inhibition of MAGL regulates select CBR-dependent behaviors in mice, including locomotor behaviors and their modulation by psychostimulants, but much less is known about the effect of inhibiting ABHD6 activity on such behaviors.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDravet Syndrome (DS) is a severe childhood epilepsy caused by heterozygous loss-of-function mutations in the gene encoding brain type-I voltage-gated sodium channel Na1.1. DS is a devastating disease that typically begins at six to nine months of age.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFActivation of cannabinoid 1 receptors (CB R) modulates multiple behaviours, including exploration, motor coordination and response to psychostimulants. It is known that CB R expressed by either excitatory or inhibitory neurons mediates different behavioural responses to CB R activation, yet the involvement of CB R expressed by medium spiny neurons (MSNs), the neuronal subpopulation that expresses the highest level of CB R in the CNS, remains unknown. We report a new genetically modified mouse line that expresses functional CB R in MSN on a CB R knockout (KO) background (CB R mice).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Glioma is sensitive to microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs), but most MTAs do not cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). To address this limitation, we developed the new chemical entity, ST-401, a brain-penetrant MTA.
Methods: Synthesis of ST-401.
The endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is involved in neuronal differentiation. This study aimed to identify the biosynthetic enzymes responsible for 2-AG production during retinoic acid (RA)-induced neurite outgrowth of Neuro-2a cells. First, we confirmed that RA stimulation of Neuro-2a cells increases 2-AG production and neurite outgrowth.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe describe a set of benzisothiazolinone (BTZ) derivatives that are potent inhibitors of monoacylglycerol lipase (MGL), the primary degrading enzyme for the endocannabinoid 2-arachidonoyl--glycerol (2-AG). Structure-activity relationship studies evaluated various substitutions on the nitrogen atom and the benzene ring of the BTZ nucleus. Optimized derivatives with nanomolar potency allowed us to investigate the mechanism of MGL inhibition.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFHuntington's Disease (HD) is a fatal neurodegenerative disease characterized by severe loss of medium spiny neuron (MSN) function and striatal-dependent behaviors. We report that female HdhQ200/200 mice display an earlier onset and more robust deterioration in spontaneous locomotion and motor coordination measured at 8 months of age compared to male HdhQ200/200 mice. Remarkably, HdhQ200/200 mice of both sexes exhibit comparable impaired spontaneous locomotion and motor coordination at 10 months of age and reach moribund stage by 12 months of age, demonstrating reduced life span in this model system.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGPR124 is involved in embryonic development and remains expressed by select organs. The importance of GPR124 during development suggests that its aberrant expression might participate in tumor growth. Here we show that both increases and decreases in GPR124 expression in glioblastoma cells reduce cell proliferation by differentially altering the duration mitotic progression.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFew preclinical approaches are available to study the health impact of voluntary consumption of edibles containing the psychoactive drug Δ-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). We developed and validated such approach by measuring voluntary oral consumption of THC-containing gelatin by rats and used it to study if and how THC consumption during adolescence impacts adult behavior. We found that adolescent rats of both sexes consumed enough THC to trigger acute hypothermia, analgesic, and locomotor responses, and that 15 days of access to THC-gelatin in adolescence resulted in the down-regulation of cannabinoid 1 receptors (CBRs) in adulthood in a sex and brain area specific manner.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling system modulates neurotransmission and inflammation, among other physiological functions. Its newest member, α/β-hydrolase domain-containing 6 (ABHD6), has emerged as a promising therapeutic target to treat several devastating diseases, including epilepsy. Here, we review the molecular mechanisms that mediate and control eCB signaling and, within it, the specific role of ABHD6.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAttempts to create novel ligand-binding proteins often focus on formation of a binding pocket with shape complementarity against the desired ligand (particularly for compounds that lack distinct polar moieties). Although designed proteins often exhibit binding of the desired ligand, in some cases they display unintended recognition behavior. One such designed protein, that was originally intended to bind tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), was found instead to display binding of 25-hydroxy-cholecalciferol (25-D3) and was subjected to biochemical characterization, further selections for enhanced 25-D3 binding affinity and crystallographic analyses.
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