With interest waning in the use of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitors for inflammatory disease, prostaglandin receptors provide alternative targets for the treatment of COX-2-mediated pathological conditions in both the periphery and the central nervous system. Activation of prostaglandin E2 receptor (PGE 2 ) subtype EP2 promotes inflammation and is just beginning to be explored as a therapeutic target. To better understand physiological and pathological functions of the prostaglandin EP2 receptor, we developed a suite of small molecules with a 3-aryl-acrylamide scaffold as selective EP2 antagonists. The 12 most potent compounds displayed competitive antagonism of the human EP2 receptor with K B 2-20 nM in Schild regression analysis and 268-to 4,730-fold selectivity over the prostaglandin EP4 receptor. A brain-permeant compound completely suppressed the up-regulation of COX-2 mRNA in rat cultured microglia by EP2 activation and significantly reduced neuronal injury in hippocampus when administered in mice beginning 1 h after termination of pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus. The salutary actions of this novel group of antagonists raise the possibility that selective block of EP2 signaling via small molecules can be an innovative therapeutic strategy for inflammation-related brain injury.yclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), the inducible isoform of COX, is rapidly up-regulated in damaged tissue, for example in the central nervous system (CNS) after a seizure or cerebral ischemia (1-3). COX-2 induction in CNS overall contributes to inflammation and injury mainly by producing prostanoids (4-7). However, the deleterious cardio-and cerebrovascular side effects from sustained inhibition of COX-2 suggest that some COX-2 downstream prostanoid signaling might be beneficial (8), such that modulation of a specific prostanoid receptor or synthase could be a superior therapeutic strategy compared with generic block of the entire COX-2 cascade. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE 2 ), a dominant enzymatic product of COX-2 in the brain, can activate four Gprotein-coupled receptors (GPCRs): EP1, EP2, EP3, and EP4. Among these, EP2 and EP4 receptors are positively coupled through Gαs to cAMP production (9). In turn, cAMP can initiate multiple downstream events mediated by protein kinase A (PKA) or exchange protein activated by cAMP (Epac) (9).The EP2 receptor is widely expressed in both neurons and glia (3, 10). Neuronal EP2 activation appears to mediate some beneficial effects, such as PKA-dependent neuroprotection in acute models of ischemia and excitotoxicity (3,11,12), early neuroprotection following seizures (13), and promotion of spatial learning (14). Conversely, on the basis of the phenotype of EP2 knockout mice, EP2 activation is thought to promote inflammation and neurotoxicity in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (15), Parkinson's disease (16), and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (10). Glial, especially microglial EP2, is considered to play a major role in brain inflammation associated with chronic ne...
Background Transitions into conscious states are partially mediated by inactivation of sleep networks and activation of arousal networks. Pharmacologic hastening of emergence from general anesthesia has largely focused on activating subcortical monoaminergic networks, with little attention on antagonizing the γ-aminobutyric acid type A receptor (GABAAR). As the GABAAR mediates the clinical effects of many common general anesthetics, the authors hypothesized that negative GABAAR modulators would hasten emergence, possibly via cortical networks involved in sleep. Methods The authors investigated the capacity of the benzodiazepine rescue agent, flumazenil, which had been recently shown to promote wakefulness in hypersomnia patients, to alter emergence. Using an in vivo rodent model and an in vitro GABAAR heterologous expression system, they measured flumazenil’s effects on behavioral, neurophysiologic, and electrophysiologic correlates of emergence from isoflurane anesthesia. Results Animals administered intravenous flumazenil (0.4 mg/kg, n = 8) exhibited hastened emergence compared to saline-treated animals (n = 8) at cessation of isoflurane anesthesia. Wake-like electroencephalographic patterns occurred sooner and exhibited more high-frequency electroencephalography power after flumazenil administration (median latency ± median absolute deviation: 290 ± 34 s) compared to saline administration (473 ± 186 s; P = 0.042). Moreover, in flumazenil-treated animals, there was a decreased impact on postanesthesia sleep. In vitro experiments in human embryonic kidney-293T cells demonstrated that flumazenil inhibited isoflurane-mediated GABA current enhancement (n = 34 cells, 88.7 ± 2.42% potentiation at 3 μM). Moreover, flumazenil exhibited weak agonist activity on the GABAAR (n = 10 cells, 10.3 ± 3.96% peak GABA EC20 current at 1 μM). Conclusions Flumazenil can modulate emergence from isoflurane anesthesia. The authors highlight the complex role GABAARs play in mediating consciousness and provide mechanistic links between emergence from anesthesia and arousal.
Although antiretroviral (ARV) therapy has reduced the incidence of severe dementia associated with HIV infection, there has been a rise in milder neurocognitive complaints. Data from HIV patients taking ARVs have shown measurable neurocognitive improvements during drug cessation, suggesting a neurotoxic role of the therapy itself. Mechanisms underlying potential ARV neurotoxicity have not been thoroughly investigated, however pathologic oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction have been suspected. Using DIV 16 primary rat cortical neuron culture, we tested eight ARVs from the three most commonly prescribed ARV classes: nucleoside/nucleotide reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs/NtRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs) for effects on neuron viability and morphology after 24 h of drug exposure. Of the tested NRTIs, only stavudine at nearly 100 times the target plasma concentration affected neuron viability with no appreciable change in morphology. Dideoxyinosine induced dendritic simplification at 100 times target plasma concentrations, but did not adversely affect viability. The sole NtRTI, tenofovir, induced dendritic simplification at approximately 3-4 times target plasma concentration, but did not affect viability. Of the tested PIs, only amprenavir decreased neuron viability at nearly 100 times the target plasma concentration. The non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor, efavirenz, consistently reduced viability (at 50 µM) and induced dendritic simplification (at 20 µM) nearest the target plasma concentration. Probing mitochondrial energetics of DIV16 cortical neurons after exposure to 20 µM efavirenz showed rapid diminution of mitochondrial-dependent oxygen consumption. Further, 20 µM efavirenz decreased excitability in ex vivo slice culture whereas 2 µM had no effect.
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