Sexually-dimorphic alterations in cannabinoid receptor density depend upon prenatal/early postnatal history.

Recent research has demonstrated that the endogenous cannabinoid system is central to the brain's response to stress. As part of an ongoing collaboration, we sought to examine the effects of prenatal and early postnatal rearing and housing conditions on developing endocannabinoid systems. We compare brain cannabinoid receptors (CBR) in offspring of either prenatal vehicle intubated or non-treated dams (Experiment 1) or in rats derived from a vendor and shipped at weaning to a collaborating lab (Experiment 2). From postnatal day (PND) 23, all rats were either housed in isolated conditions or enriched conditions with 3 rats/cage and a variety of stimulus objects changed twice a week. All rats underwent 5days of handling as controls for a behavior study and all rats were sacrificed at approximately PND48-50 within 2hours of the last behavioral test. All brains were processed together for CB1 receptor binding using 3H CP55,940 in prefrontal cortex, striatum, amygdala and hippocampus. Conditions in the two labs were as similar as possible since the two studies were intentionally designed to be comparable and contemporary. Results show that 1) comparing offspring of non-treated dams to offspring of dams receiving daily vehicle intubations, males show decreased CB1 binding in most brain regions while females only showed alterations in the hippocampus and these were increases in the offspring of the vehicle-intubated dams. 2) When comparing offspring of non-treated dams in NY with those derived from a vendor, shipped and maintained in the collaborating lab, this latter group showed reduced CB1 binding in prefrontal cortex in males and increased binding in all four brain regions in females. Therefore, overall, both prenatal handling (intubations) and being vendor-derived, shipped and maintained in a collaborating facility reduced CB1 receptors in males and increased them in females in key limbic brain regions. Effects of environmental enrichment or isolation were minor with only the prefrontal cortex showing an increase in binding in the isolated animals that were offspring of the vehicle-intubated dams. These results support the ideas that prenatal/early postnatal conditions produce different effects in males and females and override the effects of enrichment/isolation on cannabinoid receptors. Behavioral responses to cannabinoid challenges would therefore be expected to vary depending on sex, prenatal/early postnatal history and postweaning conditions of the rats. Since exogenous cannabinoids act through the CBR, the present data may provide a molecular basis for discrepant behavioral effects reported across various labs in the literature as well as sex differences seen following stress and/or manipulation of the cannabinoid system.

Sex-specific alterations in hippocampal cannabinoid 1 receptor expression following adolescent delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol treatment in the rat.

Marijuana use by adolescents has been on the rise since the early 1990s. With recent legalization and decriminalization acts passed, cannabinoid exposure in adolescents will undoubtedly increase. Human studies are limited in their ability to examine underlying changes in brain biochemistry making rodent models valuable. Studies in adult and adolescent animals show region and sex specific downregulation of the cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptor following chronic cannabinoid treatment. However, although sex-dependent changes in behavior have been observed during the drug abstinence period following adolescent cannabinoid exposure, little is known about CB1 receptor expression during this critical time. In order to characterize CB1 receptor expression following chronic adolescent Δ-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) exposure, we used [(3)H] CP55,940 binding to assess CB1 receptor expression in the dentate gyrus and areas CA1, CA2, and CA3 of the hippocampus in both male and female adolescent rats at both 24h and 2 weeks post chronic THC treatment. Consistent with other reported findings, we found downregulation of the CB1 receptor in the hippocampal formation at 24h post treatment. While this downregulation persisted in both sexes following two weeks of abstinence in the CA2 region, in females, this downregulation also persisted in areas CA1 and CA3. Expression in the dentate gyrus returned to the normal range by two weeks. These data suggest that selective regions of the hippocampus show persistent reductions in CB1 receptor expression and that these reductions are more widespread in female compared to male adolescents.

Sex differences in conditioned nicotine reward are age-specific.

Women constitute half of all smokers and many studies suggest that adult males and females differ in factors that maintain tobacco smoking, yet there is limited information about sex differences in nicotine reward during adolescence. Limited studies suggest that adolescent male rats self-administer more nicotine than adults, suggesting that drug administration during adolescence leads to different behavioral effects than during adulthood. In the present study, male rats developed a significant conditioned place preference (CPP) to lower doses of nicotine than females, regardless of age. In addition, adolescents were more sensitive than adults. In female rats, adolescents exhibited a CPP of greater magnitude than adult females. In males, the magnitude of the CPP did not differ as a function of age, but adolescents exhibited CPP to lower doses than adults. There also were differences in nicotinic acetylcholinergic receptor binding in nucleus accumbens and caudate putamen in response to nicotine across age and sex. These findings suggest that it is necessary to consider sex- and age-specific effects of drugs such as nicotine when developing strategies for improving smoking cessation treatments.

3-Aryl-3-arylmethoxyazetidines. A new class of high affinity ligands for monoamine transporters.

A series of 3-aryl-3-arylmethoxy-azetidines were synthesized and evaluated for binding affinities at dopamine and serotonin transporters. The 3-aryl-3-arylmethoxyazetidines were generally SERT selective with the dichloro substituted congener 7c (Ki=1.0 nM) and the tetrachloro substituted derivative 7i (Ki=1.3 nM) possessing low nanomolar affinity for the SERT. The 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl-3-phenylmethoxyazetidine (7g) exhibited moderate affinity at both DAT and SERT transporters and suggests that substitution of the aryl rings can be used to tune the mononamine transporter affinity.

Sex differences in the effects of social and physical environment on novelty-induced exploratory behavior and cocaine-stimulated locomotor activity in adolescent rats.

Many factors influence the rewarding effects of drugs such as cocaine. The present study was done to determine whether social and environmental factors alter behavior in adolescent male and female rats. On postnatal day (PND) 23, rats were housed in one of several same-sex conditions. Both social (number of rats per cage) and environmental (availability of toys) factors were manipulated. Socially isolated rats were housed alone (1 rat/cage) in an environment that either was impoverished (with no toys; II) or enriched (with toys; IE). Standard housing for these studies was social and impoverished, which was 2 rats/cage with no toys (SI2). Other rats were housed 2/cage with toys (SE2), or 3/cage with (SE3) or without (SI3) toys. On PND 37, novelty-induced locomotor activity was measured for 30min. On PND 44-46, locomotor activity in response to an injection of 5mg/kg cocaine was measured for 60min each day. For male rats, only social conditions altered novelty-induced activity. Males housed in groups of three had the most activity, compared to pair-housed and isolated rats. For females, social and environmental enrichment interacted to alter novelty-induced activity. In contrast to males, isolated females had increased activity, compared to group-housed females. Further, isolated females in impoverished environments had more activity than isolated females in enriched environments and group-housed females in impoverished environments. The effect of environmental enrichment on cocaine-stimulated locomotor activity was altered depending upon the number of rats living in a cage for males. For females, only social conditions altered cocaine-stimulated behavior, with activity increasing with the number of rats in the cage, regardless of environmental enrichment. These data show that social and environmental enrichment differentially alter novelty-induced and cocaine-stimulated locomotor activity in adolescent male and female rats.

Further structure-activity relationship studies on 8-substituted-3-[2-(diarylmethoxyethylidenyl)]-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane derivatives at monoamine transporters.

The synthesis and structure-activity relationships of 8-substituted-3-[2-(diarylmethoxyethylidenyl)]-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane derivatives were investigated at the dopamine transporter (DAT), the serotonin transporter (SERT) and norepinephrine transporter (NET). The rigid ethylidenyl-8-azabicyclic[3.2.1]octane skeleton imparted modestly stereoselective binding and uptake inhibition at the DAT. Additional structure-activity studies provided a transporter affinity profile that was reminiscent of the structure-activity of GBR 12909. From these studies, the 8-cyclopropylmethyl group has been identified as a unique moiety that imparts high SERT/DAT selectivity. In this study the 8-cyclopropylmethyl derivative 22e (DAT K(i) of 4.0 nM) was among the most potent compounds of the series at the DAT and was the most DAT selective ligand of the series (SERT/DAT: 1060). Similarly, the 8-chlorobenzyl derivative 22g (DAT K(i) of 3.9 nM) was found to be highly selective for the DAT over the NET (NET/DAT: 1358).

Synthesis and structure-activity studies of benzyl ester meperidine and normeperidine derivatives as selective serotonin transporter ligands.

A series of benzyl esters of meperidine and normeperidine were synthesized and evaluated for binding affinity at serotonin, dopamine and norepinephrine transporters. The 4-methoxybenzyl ester 8b and 4-nitrobenzyl ester 8c in the meperidine series and 4-methoxybenzyl ester 14a in the normeperidine series exhibited low nanomolar binding affinities at the SERT (K(i) values <2nM) and high SERT selectivity (DAT/SERT >1500 and NET/SERT >1500).

Synthesis and monoamine transporter affinity of 3alpha-arylmethoxy-3beta-arylnortropanes.

A series of 3-arylnortrop-2-enes and 3alpha-arylmethoxy-3beta-arylnortropanes were synthesized and evaluated for binding affinity at monoamine transporters. The 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)nortrop-2-ene (6e) exhibited high affinity for the SERT (K(i)=0.3 nM). The 3alpha-arylmethoxy-3beta-arylnortropanes were generally SERT selective with the 3alpha-(3.4-dichlorophenylmethoxy)-3betaphenylnortrop-2-ene (7c) possessing subnanomolar potency (K(i)=0.061 nM). However, 3alpha-(3,4-dichlorophenylmethoxy)-3beta-phenylnortrop-2-ene (7b) exhibited high affinity at all three transporters [(DAT K(i)=22 nM), (SERT K(i)=6 nM) and (NET K(i)=101 nM)].

Chronic nicotine alters cannabinoid-mediated locomotor activity and receptor density in periadolescent but not adult male rats.

A significant number of youths use cigarettes, and more than half of the youths who smoke daily also use illicit drugs. The focus of these studies is on how exposure to nicotine affects subsequent responses to both nicotine and cannabinoids in adolescents compared with adults. We have shown previously that chronic treatment with nicotine produces sensitization to its locomotor-activating effects in female and adult rats but not male adolescent rats. To better understand the effects of nicotine on adolescent and adult rats, rats were injected with nicotine or saline for 7 days and, on day 8, either challenged with delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (Delta 9-THC) or the cannabinoid agonist CP 55,940 and tested for locomotor activity, or the brains were removed for quantitative autoradiography studies of the cannabinoid(1) receptor. A separate group of rats was treated with nicotine plus the cannabinoid antagonist AM 251 and then challenged with CP 55,940. In adolescent male rats, nicotine administration led to sensitization to the locomotor-decreasing effects of both Delta 9-THC and CP 55,940, but in adult male rats, the response to either drug was unchanged compared to controls. The effect of nicotine on CP 55,940-mediated locomotor activity was blocked by co-administration of AM 251 with the nicotine. Further, cannabinoid receptor density was increased in the prelimbic prefrontal cortex, ventral tegmental area, and select regions of the hippocampus in adolescent male rats pretreated with nicotine compared to vehicle-treated controls. There were no significant changes in cannabinoid receptor binding, however, in any of the brain regions examined in adult males pretreated with nicotine. The prelimbic prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus have been shown previously to be involved in stimulant reinforcement; thus it is possible that these changes contribute to the unique behavioral effects of chronic nicotine and subsequent drug administration in adolescents compared with adults.

Synthesis and CB1 cannabinoid receptor affinity of 4-alkoxycarbonyl-1,5-diaryl-1,2,3-triazoles.

A series of 4-alkoxycarbonyl-1,5-diaryl-1,2,3-triazoles were synthesized regioselectively using click chemistry and evaluated at CB1 cannabinoid receptors. The n-propyl ester 11 (K(i)=4.6 nM) and phenyl ester 14 (K(i)=11 nM) exhibited the most potent affinity of the series.

Sensitivity to cocaine conditioned reward depends on sex and age.

Human and animal laboratory studies show that females and males respond differently to drugs and that drug administration during adolescence leads to different behavioral effects than during adulthood. Adult female rats are more sensitive to the behavioral effects of cocaine than adult males, but it is not known if the same effect of sex exists during adolescence. In the present study, sensitivity to the conditioned reward of cocaine was evaluated using a conditioned place preference (CPP) paradigm where adolescent (PND 34) and adult (PND 66) male and female rats were trained and tested for the development of CPP to multiple doses of cocaine. Female rats developed CPP at lower doses than males, regardless of age. In addition, adolescent male and female rats established a CPP at lower doses of cocaine than adult male and female rats, respectively. Thus, both age and sex altered cocaine conditioned reward with the order of sensitivity being adolescent females > adult females > adolescent males > adult males. These data show that adolescents are more sensitive to the conditioned rewarding properties of cocaine than adults and that females respond to lower doses of cocaine compared to males regardless of age.

Chronic cocaine produces decreases in N/OFQ peptide levels in select rat brain regions.

The interaction of opioids and stimulants is well established; however, the mechanisms that underlie the role that opioid receptors play in psychostimulant action are not. Nociceptin/orphaninFQ (N/OFQ), the endogenous agonist at NOP receptors, attenuates the behavioral effects of cocaine. The effects of cocaine on N/OFQ were examined in rats using immunoautoradiographic and RIA techniques. Chronic administration of cocaine decreased N/OFQ in medial regions of the caudate putamen, the nucleus accumbens shell, and the substantia nigra. These studies show that N/OFQ levels are altered by treatment with cocaine. Furthermore, the changes in N/OFQ parallel those seen for kappa-opioid receptors, suggesting that the interactions between cocaine and these systems might be similar.

Effect of MDMA (ecstasy) on activity and cocaine conditioned place preference in adult and adolescent rats.

MDMA (ecstasy) is a drug commonly used in adolescence, and many users of MDMA also use other illicit drugs. It is not known whether MDMA during adolescence alters subsequent responses to cocaine differently than in adults. This study examined the effects of MDMA in adolescent and adult rats on cocaine conditioned reward. At the start of these experiments, adolescent rats were at postnatal day (PND) 33 and adult rats at PND 60. Each rat was treated for 7 days with MDMA (2 or 5 mg/kg/day or vehicle) and locomotor activity was measured. Five days later cocaine conditioned place preference (CPP) was begun. Rats were trained for 3 days, in the morning with saline and in the afternoon with 10 mg/kg cocaine in 30 min sessions, and tested on the fourth day. MDMA stimulated activity in both age groups, but with a greater effect in the adult rats. Sensitization to the locomotor-stimulant effects of the lower dose of MDMA occurred in adult rats and in both groups to the higher dose. Cocaine did not produce a CPP in vehicle-treated adolescent rats, but a significant CPP was observed subsequent to treatment with MDMA. In contrast, cocaine-induced CPP was diminished after MDMA in adult rats. These effects were still evident 2 weeks later upon retest. Thus, under the present conditions, MDMA increased cocaine conditioned reward in adolescent and decreased it in adult rats. These findings suggest that exposure to MDMA during this critical developmental period may carry a greater risk than during adulthood and that male adolescents may be particularly vulnerable to the risk of stimulant abuse after use of MDMA.

Synthesis of dopamine transporter selective 3-diarylmethoxymethyl-8-arylalkyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane derivatives.

A series of diarylmethoxymethyltropane-GBR hybrid analogues with all three possible stereochemical orientations at C3 were synthesized and evaluated at dopamine and serotonin transporters. The 3alpha derivatives were found to be the most potent compounds with the 3alpha-di(4-fluorophenyl)methoxymethyl-8-(3-phenylpropyl)-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane 15b (Ki = 5 nM) being the most potent compound of the series. The corresponding 3-di(4-fluorophenyl)-methoxymethyl-8-(3-phenylpropyl)-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]oct-2-ene 12b (Ki = 12 nM) was slightly less potent than the 3alpha-analogue, while the 3beta-di(4-fluorophenyl)methoxymethyl-8-(3-phenylpropyl)-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane 23b (Ki = 78 nM) exhibited only modest affinity for the dopamine transporter. Only the 3alpha-analogue 15b (SERT/DAT = 48) exhibited higher SERT/DAT selectivity than GBR 12909. These results indicate that the dopamine transporter can tolerate some variability in proximity of the benzhydryl ether to the basic nitrogen atom of the tropane without loss in potency. In addition, the structure-activity data for these tropane-GBR 12909 hybrid analogues support previous findings that the stereochemical and conformational effects imparted by unsaturation at C3 are important for dopamine transporter selectivity over the serotonin transporter.

Structure-activity studies of 3'-4'-dichloro-meperidine analogues at dopamine and serotonin transporters.

The structure-activity relationships of 3',4'-dichloro-meperidine were investigated at dopamine (DAT) and serotonin transporters (SERT). Large ester substituents and lipophilic groups at the 4-position favored molecular recognition at the SERT. The benzyl ester of 3',4'-dichloro-meperidine exhibited high potency and high selectivity for the SERT (DAT/SERT=760). Chemical modification of the ester group and N-substitution generally led to compounds with decreased DAT affinity. Only small esters and alkyl groups were tolerated at the 4-position of the meperidine ring system by the DAT. Overall, the meperidine analogues were generally more selective for the SERT than for the DAT.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of meperidine analogues at monoamine transporters.

A series of aryl-substituted meperidine analogues was synthesized, and the binding affinities were determined at the DAT, SERT, and NET as well as at mu-opioid receptors. Generally the analogues exhibited increased affinity for the DAT and SERT relative to meperidine but exhibited low binding affinity for the NET. The 2-naphthyl derivative 7f was the most potent ligand at the SERT (K(i) = 0.0072 muM) and was the most selective ligand for the SERT over the DAT (DAT/SERT = 158) and mu-opioid receptors (mu/SERT = 281). The 3,4-dichlorophenyl derivative 7e was the most potent ligand at the DAT (K(i) = 0.125 muM) and was the most selective ligand for the DAT over mu-opioid receptors (mu/DAT = 16.3) but remained slightly more selective for the SERT over the DAT(DAT/SERT = 6.68). Three compounds, the 3,4-dichlorophenyl derivative 7e and the 2-naphthyl analogues 6f and 7f, were identified that were more potent at the DAT than meperidine and that exhibited well-defined biphasic dopamine uptake inhibition similar to meperidine. However, none of the analogues tested produced locomotor effects or substituted for cocaine in drug discrimination studies, suggesting that the mu-opioid effects of these analogues may contribute to the poor efficacy observed in vivo.

Neurochemical alterations produced by daily nicotine exposure in periadolescent vs. adult male rats.

Chronic treatment with nicotine differentially alters behavior in adolescent rats compared to adult rats. It is not known, however, whether the effects of nicotine on the neurochemical pathways with which it interacts differ in adolescents vs. adults. In the current study, the effects of a 7-day treatment with nicotine on nicotinic, dopaminergic, and serotonergic neurochemistry were examined in the caudate putamen and nucleus accumbens in periadolescent vs. adult male rats. Nicotine treatment increased dopamine transporter densities and decreased serotonin transporter densities in periadolescent rats. There was no change in nicotinic acetylcholine receptor densities or dopamine D1 or D2 receptor densities in nicotine-pretreated periadolescent rats. In adult rats pretreated with nicotine, there was an increase in nicotinic acetylcholine densities, but no change in dopamine transporter, dopamine D1 or D2 receptor, or serotonin transporter densities. Overall, these findings show that periadolescent rats have neurochemical adaptations to nicotine different from adult rats. These alterations may explain, at least in part, the differential behavioral effects of chronic nicotine in adult and adolescent male rats.

Synthesis and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor binding affinities of 2- and 3-isoxazolyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes.

A series of epiboxidine homologues, 2- and 3-isoxazole substituted 8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane derivatives was synthesized and evaluated as potential ligands for neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptors in [(3)H]cytisine labeled rat brain. The 2beta-isoxazolyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane 9b (K(i)=3 nM) was the most potent compound of the series with a binding affinity twice that of nicotine. The 3beta-isoxazolyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octane 15b (K(i)=148 nM) exhibited moderate affinity while the corresponding 2alpha- and 3alpha-isomers exhibited micromolar binding affinity.

Synthesis of dopamine transporter selective 3-[2-(diarylmethoxyethylidene)]-8-alkylaryl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes.

A series of 3-[2-(diarylmethoxyethylidene)]-8-alkylaryl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes was synthesized and the binding affinities of the compounds were determined at the dopamine and serotonin transporters. The 8-phenylpropyl analogues 8a (K(i)=4.1 nM) and 8b (K(i)=3.7 nM) were the most potent compounds of the series with binding affinities 3 times greater than GBR-12909. In addition, 8a (SERT/DAT=327) was over 300-fold more selective for the dopamine transporter than the serotonin transporter.

Synthesis and dopamine transporter binding affinities of 3alpha-benzyl-8-(diarylmethoxyethyl)-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes.

A series of 3alpha-benzyl-8-(diarylmethoxyethyl)-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octanes was synthesized and the binding affinities of the compounds were determined at the dopamine transporter. The unsubstituted analogue 7b (K(i)=98nM) was the most potent compound of the series with binding affinity three-times greater than cocaine and only 5-fold less than GBR-12909. The structure-activity data for 7a-f suggests that these compounds may be binding at the dopamine transporter in a similar fashion to GBR 12909.