The diacylglycerol lipases (DAGLα and DAGLβ) hydrolyze DAG to generate 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG), the principal endocannabinoid and main precursor of arachidonic acid (AA). The DAGLs make distinct tissue specific contributions toward 2-AG and AA levels, and therefore, selective modulators for these enzymes could play crucial roles toward harnessing their therapeutic potential. Relatively high-throughput assays have recently been reported for DAGLα and have proven useful toward the characterization of inhibitors of this enzyme.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDiacylglycerol lipase α (DAGLα) hydrolyses DAG to generate the principal endocannabinoid (eCB) 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) in the central nervous system. DAGLα dependent cannabinoid (CB) signalling has been implicated in numerous processes including axonal growth and guidance, adult neurogenesis and retrograde signalling at the synapse. Recent studies have implicated DAGLα as an emerging drug target for several conditions including pain and obesity.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExposure to adverse prenatal factors can result in abnormal brain development, contributing to the aetiology of several neurological disorders. Intrauterine insults could occur during neurogenesis and gliogenesis, disrupting these events. Here we investigate the effects of chronic placental insufficiency (CPI) on cell proliferation and the microenvironment in the subventricular zone (SVZ).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFLack of high potency agonists has restricted analysis of the G protein-coupled receptor GPR35. Moreover, marked variation in potency and/or affinity of current ligands between human and rodent orthologs of GPR35 has limited their productive use in rodent models of physiology. Based on the reported modest potency of the antiasthma and antiallergic ligands cromolyn disodium and nedocromil sodium, we identified the related compounds lodoxamide and bufrolin as high potency agonists of human GPR35.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPurpose: In 2008, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and MS Trust conducted a second audit of NHS services for people with MS (PwMS). Using the free text comments obtained from the RCP and MS Trust audit, this study aimed to perform content analysis on the views of PwMS about MS services, focussing on physiotherapy provision.
Method: A total of 757 PwMS included a free text comment on MS services and an additional 41 commented separately about physiotherapy services.
Intrauterine growth-restriction (IUGR) can lead to adverse neurodevelopmental sequelae in postnatal life. Our objective was to determine whether IUGR, induced by chronic placental insufficiency (CPI) in the guinea pig results in long-term deficits in brain myelination and could therefore contribute to altered neural function. CPI was induced by unilateral ligation of the uterine artery at mid-gestation (term~67 days of gestation; dg), producing growth-restricted (GR) foetuses (60 dg), neonates (1 week) and young adults (8 week); controls were from the unligated horn or sham-operated animals.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRationale: Adjuvant cancer chemotherapy can cause long-lasting, cognitive deficits. It is postulated that these impairments are due to these drugs targeting neural precursors within the adult hippocampus, the loss of which has been associated with memory impairment.
Objectives: The present study investigates the effects of the chemotherapy, methotrexate (MTX) on spatial working memory and the proliferation and survival of the neural precursors involved in hippocampal neurogenesis, and the possible neuroprotective properties of the antidepressant fluoxetine.