1. |
- Nilsson, Anna, et al.
(author)
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The involvement of prostaglandin E2 in interleukin-1β evoked anorexia is strain dependent
- 2017
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In: Brain, behavior, and immunity. - : Academic Press. - 0889-1591 .- 1090-2139. ; 60, s. 27-31
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- From experiments in mice in which the prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesizing enzyme mPGES-1 was genetically deleted, as well as from experiments in which PGE2 was injected directly into the brain, PGE2 has been implicated as a mediator of inflammatory induced anorexia. Here we aimed at examining which PGE2 receptor (EP1–4) that was critical for the anorexic response to peripherally injected interleukin-1β (IL-1β). However, deletion of neither EP receptor in mice, either globally (for EP1, EP2, and EP3) or selectively in the nervous system (EP4), had any effect on the IL-1β induced anorexia. Because these mice were all on a C57BL/6 background, whereas previous observations demonstrating a role for induced PGE2 in IL-1β evoked anorexia had been carried out on mice on a DBA/1 background, we examined the anorexic response to IL-1β in mice with deletion of mPGES-1 on a C57BL/6 background and a DBA/1 background, respectively. We confirmed previous findings that mPGES-1 knock-out mice on a DBA/1 background displayed attenuated anorexia to IL-1β; however, mice on a C57BL/6 background showed the same profound anorexia as wild type mice when carrying deletion of mPGES-1, while displaying almost normal food intake after pretreatment with a cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitor. We conclude that the involvement of induced PGE2 in IL-1β evoked anorexia is strain dependent and we suggest that different routes that probably involve distinct prostanoids exist by which inflammatory stimuli may evoke an anorexic response and that these routes may be of different importance in different strains of mice.
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2. |
- Aziz, Abdul Maruf Asif
(author)
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Neuropeptide Receptors as Treatment Targets in Alcohol Use Disorders
- 2017
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a complex disorder with multiple pathophysiological processes contributing to the initiation, progression and development of the disease state. AUD is a chronic relapsing disease with escalation of alcohol-intake over time in repeated cycles of tolerance, abstinence and relapse and hence, it is very difficult to treat. There are only a few currently available treatments with narrow efficacy and variable patient response. Thus it is important to find new, more effective medications to increase the number of patients who can benefit from pharmacological treatment of AUD.The research presented in this thesis work focuses on the critical involvement of central neuropeptides in alcohol-related behaviors. The overall aim was to evaluate the nociceptin/orphanin FQ (NOP) receptor, the neuropeptide Y (NPY) Y2 receptor and the melanin-concentrating hormone (MCH) receptor 1 as novel and potential pharmacological treatment targets for AUD by testing the NOP receptor agonist SR-8993, the NPY-Y2 receptor antagonist CYM-9840 and the MCH1 receptor antagonist GW803430 in established animal models.In the first study (Paper I), the novel and selective NOP agonist SR-8993 was assessed in rat models of motivation to obtain alcohol and relapse to alcohol seeking behavior using the operant self-administration (SA) paradigm. Firstly, treatment with SR-8993 (1 mg/kg) showed a mildly anxiolytic effect and reversed acute alcohol withdrawal-induced “hangover” anxiety in the elevated plus-maze (EPM). Next, it potently attenuated alcohol SA and motivation to obtain alcohol in the progressive ratio responding (PRR) and reduced both alcohol cue-induced and yohimbine stress-induced reinstatement of alcohol seeking, without affecting the pharmacology and metabolism of alcohol nor other control behaviors. To extend these findings, SR-8993 was evaluated in escalated alcohol-intake in rats. Treatment with SR-8993 significantly suppressed alcohol-intake and preference in rats that were trained to consume high amounts of alcohol in the two-bottle free choice intermittent access (IA) paradigm. SR-8993 also blocked operant SA of alcohol in rats that showed robust escalation in operant alcohol SA following chronic IA exposure to alcohol.In the second study (Paper II), SR-8993 was further evaluated in a model for escalated alcohol-intake induced by long-term IA exposure to alcohol. The effect of previous experience on operant alcohol SA on two-bottle free choice preference drinking was evaluated and sensitivity to treatment with SR-8993 was tested in rats selected for escalated and non-escalated alcohol seeking behavior. We found that rats exposed to the combined SA-IA paradigm showed greater sensitivity to SR-8993 treatment. In addition, acute escalation of alcohol SA after a three-week period of abstinence was completely abolished by pretreatment with SR-8993.In the third study (Paper III), the effects of the novel, small molecule NPY-Y2 antagonist CYM-9840 were tested in operant alcohol SA, PRR which is a model for motivation to work for alcohol and reinstatement of alcohol-seeking behavior. Treatment with CYM-9840 (10 mg/kg) potently attenuated alcohol SA, progressive ratio responding and stress-induced reinstatement using yohimbine as the stressor, while alcohol cue-induced reinstatement was unaffected. Moreover, a range of control behaviors including taste sensitivity, locomotor and pharmacological sensitivity to the sedative effects of alcohol remained unaffected by CYM-9840 pretreatment, indicating that its effects are specific to the rewarding and motivational aspects of alcohol-intake and related behaviors. CYM-9840 also reversed acute alcohol withdrawal-induced “hangover” anxiety measured in the EPM and reduced alcohol-intake in the 4 hour limited access two-bottle free choice preference drinking model.Finally, in the fourth study (Paper IV), the selective MCH1-R antagonist GW803430 was tested in rat models of escalated alcohol-intake. Pretreatment with GW803430 (effective at 10 & 30 mg/kg) dose-dependently reduced alcohol and food-intake in rats that consumed high amounts of alcohol during IA, while it only decreased food-intake in rats that consumed low amounts of alcohol during IA, likely due to a floor effect. Upon protracted abstinence following IA, GW803430 significantly reduced operant alcohol SA and this was associated with adaptations in MCH and MCH1-R gene-expression. In contrast, GW803430 did not affect escalated alcohol SA induced by chronic alcohol vapor exposure and this was accompanied by no change in MCH or MCH1-R gene expression. Overall, these results suggest that the MCH1-R antagonist affects alcohol-intake through regulation of both motivation for caloric-intake and the rewarding properties of alcohol.In conclusion, our results suggest critical roles for these central neuropeptides in the regulation of anxiety and of alcohol reward, making them potential pharmacological targets in the treatment of AUD.
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4. |
- Engblom, David, 1975-, et al.
(author)
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Activation of prostanoid EP3 and EP4 receptor mRNA-expressing neurons in the rat parabrachial nucleus by intravenous injection of bacterial wall lipopolysaccharide
- 2001
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In: Journal of Comparative Neurology. - : Wiley. - 0021-9967 .- 1096-9861. ; 440:4, s. 378-386
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Systemic inflammation activates central autonomic circuits, such as neurons in the pontine parabrachial nucleus. This activation may be the result of afferent signaling through the vagus nerve, but it may also depend on central prostaglandin-mediated mechanisms. Recently, we have shown that neurons in the parts of the parabrachial nucleus that are activated by immune challenge express prostaglandin receptors of the EP3 and EP4 subtypes, but it remains to be determined if the prostaglandin receptor-expressing neurons are identical to those that respond to immune stimuli. In the present study, bacterial wall lipopolysaccharide was injected intravenously in adult male rats and the expression of c-fos mRNA and of EP3 and EP4 receptor mRNA was examined with complementary RNA probes labeled with digoxigenin and radioisotopes, respectively. Large numbers of neurons in the external lateral parabrachial subnucleus, a major target of vagal-solitary tract efferents, expressed c-fos mRNA. Quantitative analysis showed that about 60% (range 40%–79%) of these neurons also expressed EP3 receptor mRNA. Conversely, slightly more than 50% (range 48%–63%) of the EP3 receptor-expressing neurons in the same subnucleus coexpressed c-fos mRNA. In contrast, few EP4 receptor-expressing neurons were c-fos positive, with the exception of a small population located in the superior lateral and dorsal lateral subnuclei. These findings show that immune challenge activates central autonomic neurons that could be the target of centrally produced prostaglandin E2, suggesting that synaptic signaling and paracrine mechanisms may interact on these neurons. J. Comp. Neurol. 440:378–386, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
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5. |
- Engblom, David, 1975-, et al.
(author)
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EP3 and EP4 receptor mRNA expression in peptidergic cell groups of the rat parabrachial nucleus
- 2004
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In: Neuroscience. - : Elsevier BV. - 0306-4522 .- 1873-7544. ; 126:4, s. 989-999
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- This study examines the distribution of prostaglandin E2 receptors of subtype EP3 and EP4 among brain stem parabrachial neurons that were characterized with respect to their neuropeptide expression. By using a dual-labeling in situ hybridization method, we show that preprodynorphin mRNA expressing neurons in the dorsal and central lateral subnuclei express EP3 receptor mRNA. Such receptors are also expressed in preproenkephalin, calcitonin gene related peptide and preprotachykinin mRNA positive neurons in the external lateral subnucleus, whereas preprodynorphin mRNA expressing neurons in this subnucleus are EP receptor negative. In addition, EP3 receptor expression is seen among some enkephalinergic neurons in the Kölliker-Fuse nucleus. Neurons in the central part of the cholecystokininergic population in the regions of the superior lateral subnucleus express EP4 receptor mRNA, whereas those located more peripherally express EP3 receptors. Taken together with previous findings showing that discrete peptidergic cell groups mediate nociceptive and/or visceral afferent information to distinct brain stem and forebrain regions, the present results suggest that the processing of this information in the parabrachial nucleus is influenced by prostaglandin E2. Recent work has shown that prostaglandin E2 is released into the brain following peripheral immune challenge; hence, the parabrachial nucleus may be a region where humoral signaling of peripheral inflammatory events may interact with neuronal signaling elicited by the same peripheral processes.
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6. |
- Engblom, David, 1975-, et al.
(author)
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Induction of microsomal prostaglandin E synthase in the rat brain endothelium and parenchyma in adjuvant-induced arthritis
- 2002
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In: Journal of Comparative Neurology. - : Wiley. - 0021-9967 .- 1096-9861. ; 452:3, s. 205-214
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Although central nervous symptoms such as hyperalgesia, fatigue, malaise, and anorexia constitute major problems in the treatment of patients suffering from chronic inflammatory disease, little has been known about the signaling mechanisms by which the brain is activated during such conditions. Here, in an animal model of rheumatoid arthritis, we show that microsomal prostaglandin E-synthase, the inducible terminal isomerase in the prostaglandin E2-synthesizing pathway, is expressed in endothelial cells along the blood-brain barrier and in the parenchyma of the paraventricular hypothalamic nucleus. The endothelial cells but not the paraventricular hypothalamic cells displayed a concomitant induction of cyclooxygenase-2 and expressed interleukin-1 type 1 receptors, which indicates that the induction is due to peripherally released cytokines. In contrast to cyclooxygenase-2, microsomal prostaglandin E synthase had very sparse constitutive expression, suggesting that it could be a target for developing drugs that will carry fewer side effects than the presently available cyclooxygenase inhibitors. These findings, thus, suggest that immune-to-brain communication during chronic inflammatory conditions involves prostaglandin E2-synthesis both along the blood-brain barrier and in the parenchyma of the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus and point to novel avenues for the treatment of the brain-elicited disease symptoms during these conditions.
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7. |
- Engblom, David, 1975-, et al.
(author)
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Microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 is the central switch during immune-induced pyresis
- 2003
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In: Nature Neuroscience. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1097-6256 .- 1546-1726. ; 6:11, s. 1137-1138
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We studied the febrile response in mice deficient in microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1), an inducible terminal isomerase expressed in cytokine-sensitive brain endothelial cells. These animals showed no fever and no central prostaglandin (PG) E2 synthesis after peripheral injection of bacterial-wall lipopolysaccharide, but their pyretic capacity in response to centrally administered PGE2 was intact. Our findings identify mPGES-1 as the central switch during immune-induced pyresis and as a target for the treatment of fever and other PGE2-dependent acute phase reactions elicited by the brain.
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8. |
- Engblom, David, 1975-
(author)
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Prostaglandin E2 in immune-to-brain signaling
- 2003
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- Upon immune-challenge, signaling from the immune system to the brain triggers an array of central nervous responses that include fever, anorexia, hyperalgesia and activation of the hypothalamus-pituitary adrenal axis. These symptoms are dependent on cytokines produced at the site of inflammation. However, because cytokines cannot penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the mechanism by which cytokines activate the central nervous system has remained elusive. Among several hypotheses, it has been suggested that prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesized at the blood-brain interface and subsequently binding to PGE2 receptors expressed on deep neural structures may be responsible for the immune-to-brain signaling.During inflammatory conditions PGE2 is produced from prostaglandin H2 by the inducible isomerase microsomal prostaglandin E synthase-1 (mPGES-1). By using in situ hybridization, we investigated the expression of this enzyme in the brain of rats subjected to immune challenge induced by intravenous injection of interleukin-1ß. We found that mPGES-1 mRNA had a very restricted and low expression in the brain of naive rats. However, in response to inunune challenge it was rapidly and heavily induced in cells of the cerebral vasculature. Further, we found that the cells expressing mPGES-1 co-expressed cyclooxygenase-2 mRNA and interleukin-1 receptor type 1 mRNA. Thus, circulating interleukin-1 may bind to brain vascular cells and induce the expression of cyclooxygenase-2 and mPGES-1, leading to the production of PGE2 that can diffuse into the brain and trigger central nervous responses. We also showed that the same mechanism may be operating in a model for autoimmune disease. Thus, rats with adjuvant-induced arthritis, a model of rheumatoid arthritis, displayed a similar mPGES-1 and cyclooxygenase-2 induction in interleukin-1 receptor bearing brain endothelial cells.To examine the functional role of the central induction of mPGES-1, we studied the febrile response in mice deficient in the gene encoding mPGES-1. These mice showed no fever and no central PGE2 production in response to immune challenge induced by intraperitoneal injection of the bacterial fragment lipopolysaccharide, demonstrating that PGE2 synthesized by mPGES-1 is critical for immune-induced fever.We also studied the expression of receptors for PGE2 in the parabrachial nucleus, an autonomic brain stem structure involved in the regulation of food intake, blood pressure and nociceptive processing. We found that neurons in the para brachial nucleus express PGE2 receptors of type EP3 and EP4 and that many of the EP3 and some of the EP4 expressing neurons in this nucleus are activated by immune challenge. The PGE2 receptor expressing neurons also expressed mRNAs for various neuropeptides, such as dynorphin, enkephalin, calcitonin gene related peptide and substance P. Taken together with previous observations, these findings indicate that the PGE2 receptor expressing cells in the parabrachial nucleus are involved in alterations in food intake and in nociceptive processing during immune challenge.In summary, these data show the presence of a mechanism, involving cerebrovascular induction of mPGES-1, that conveys an inflammatory message from the blood-stream through the blood-brain barrier to relevant deep neural structures. Further, the findings show that this mechanism is critical for the febrile response and is activated during both acute and prolonged inflammatory conditions. This identifies mPGES-1 as a potential drug target for the alleviation of central nervous symptoms of inflammatory disease, such as fever, pain and anorexia.
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9. |
- Engblom, David, 1975-, et al.
(author)
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Prostaglandins as inflammatory messengers across the blood-brain barrier
- 2002
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In: Journal of Molecular Medicine. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 0946-2716 .- 1432-1440. ; 80:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Upon immune challenge the brain launches a wide range of responses, such as fever, anorexia, and hyperalgesia that serve to maintain homeostasis. While these responses are adaptive during acute infections, they may be destructive during chronic inflammatory conditions. Research performed during the last decade has given us insight into how the brain monitors the presence of a peripheral inflammation and the mechanisms underlying the brain-mediated acute-phase reactions. Here we give a brief review on this subject, with focus on the role of prostaglandin E2 produced in cells associated with the blood-brain barrier in immune-to-brain signaling. The recent advances in this field have not only elucidated the mechanisms behind the anti-pyretic and anti-hyperalgesic effects of cyclooxygenase inhibitors, but have also identified novel and more-selective potential drug targets.
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10. |
- Eskilsson, Anna, 1986-, et al.
(author)
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Fever During Localized Inflammation in Mice Is Elicited by a Humoral Pathway and Depends on Brain Endothelial Interleukin-1 and Interleukin-6 Signaling and Central EP3 Receptors
- 2021
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In: Journal of Neuroscience. - : SOC NEUROSCIENCE. - 0270-6474 .- 1529-2401. ; 41:24, s. 5206-5218
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We examined the signaling route for fever during localized inflammation in male and female mice, elicited by casein injection into a preformed air pouch. The localized inflammation gave rise to high concentrations of prostaglandins of the E species (PGE(2)) and cytokines in the air pouch and elevated levels of these inflammatory mediators in plasma. There were also elevated levels of PGE(2) in the cerebrospinal fluid, although there was little evidence for PGE(2) synthesis in the brain. Global deletion of the PGE(2) prostaglandin E receptor 3 (EP3) abolished the febrile response as did deletion of the EP3 receptor in neural cells, whereas its deletion on peripheral nerves had no effect, implying that PGE(2) action on this receptor in the CNS elicited the fever. Global deletion of the interleukin-1 receptor type 1 (IL-1R1) also abolished the febrile response, whereas its deletion on neural cells or peripheral nerves had no effect. However, deletion of the IL-1R1 on brain endothelial cells, as well as deletion of the interleukin-6 receptor a on these cells, attenuated the febrile response. In contrast, deletion of the PGE(2) synthesizing enzymes cyclooxygenase-2 and microsomal prostaglandin synthase-1 in brain endothelial cells, known to attenuate fever evoked by systemic inflammation, had no effect. We conclude that fever during localized inflammation is not mediated by neural signaling from the inflamed site, as previously suggested, but is dependent on humoral signaling that involves interleukin actions on brain endothelial cells, probably facilitating PGE(2) entry into the brain from the circulation and hence representing a mechanism distinct from that at work during systemic inflammation.
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