Endocannabinoids are endogenously produced fatty acid derivatives that act at the cannabinoid 1 and 2 receptors. The two predominant endocannabinoids are 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) and arachidonoylethanolamide (AEA). These molecules are involved in a plethora of biological processes and, in particular, have been shown to modulate analgesic activity. AEA and 2-AG are synthesized on demand by phospholipases and recent work by the Marnett lab has shown that 2-AG and AEA are both substrates of cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2). Importantly, the inhibition of COX-2 by several non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), in particular the (S)-2-arylpropionic acid derivative NSAIDs, has been shown to be more potent with respect to the inhibition of endocannabinoid oxygenation as compared to the inhibition of arachidonic acid (AA) oxygenation. The (R)-enantiomers of 2-arylpropionic acid derivative NSAIDs have long been classified as non-inhibitors of COX-2 since they do not inhibit the oxygenation of AA by COX-2. However, our recent work indicates that they are potent inhibitors of endocannabinoid oxygenation by COX-2. Of particular interest, the most potent (R)-enantiomer of a 2- arylpropionic acid derivative NSAID, (R)-flurbiprofen, has been shown to provide analgesia in neuropathic pain models by increasing the levels of AEA. The observed substrate-selective inhibition of COX-2 by (R)-flurbiprofen offers a novel mechanism for achieving this increased AEA level and corresponding analgesia. The mechanism by which (R)-flurbiprofen effects substrate-selective inhibition of COX-2 is presently unknown and will be elucidated using a combination of site-directed mutagenesis and X-ray crystallography. Site-directed mutagenesis will be used to create binding site mutants to probe for residues critical to the substrate-selective inhibition of COX-2 by (R)-flurbiprofen. The mechanism of substrate-selective inhibition by (R)-flurbiprofen will also be defined by solving the crystal structure of (R)-flurbiprofen bound to murine COX-2. The structural and functional insights into the mechanism of substrate-selective inhibition of COX-2 provided by the site-directed mutagenesis and X- ray crystallography will be used to design and synthesize (R)-flurbiprofen analogs with improved potency. The synthesized analogs will be evaluated for substrate-selective inhibition by using an in vitro assay with purified murine or human COX-2 followed by ex vivo testing using RAW 264.7 macrophages and primary dorsal root ganglia as model systems. The most potent substrate-selective inhibitors will then be evaluated and compared to (R)-flurbiprofen in vivo using the mouse carrageenan footpad inflammation model. By defining the mechanism of substrate-selective inhibition of COX-2 by (R)- flurbiprofen and developing and testing novel inhibitors, the project will elucidate a novel mechanism of endocannabinoid regulation and develop lead compounds for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Public Health Relevance

The development of (R)-flurbiprofen analogs will lead to new anti-inflammatory and pain reducing drugs targeting the endocannabinoid system. These drugs will benefit the general public by providing a new treatment with reduced side effects compared to currently used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The drugs may also be applicable to treatment of several prevalent medical conditions that endocannabinoids have been shown to play a role including Alzheimer's disease, drug dependency, obesity, and depression.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Predoctoral Individual National Research Service Award (F31)
Project #
5F31DA031572-03
Application #
8460519
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-F04A-G (20))
Program Officer
Babecki, Beth
Project Start
2011-05-01
Project End
2014-04-30
Budget Start
2013-05-01
Budget End
2014-04-30
Support Year
3
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$35,832
Indirect Cost
Name
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department
Chemistry
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
004413456
City
Nashville
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
37212
Gray, J Megan; Vecchiarelli, Haley A; Morena, Maria et al. (2015) Corticotropin-releasing hormone drives anandamide hydrolysis in the amygdala to promote anxiety. J Neurosci 35:3879-92
Hermanson, Daniel J; Gamble-George, Joyonna C; Marnett, Lawrence J et al. (2014) Substrate-selective COX-2 inhibition as a novel strategy for therapeutic endocannabinoid augmentation. Trends Pharmacol Sci 35:358-67
Bluett, R J; Gamble-George, J C; Hermanson, D J et al. (2014) Central anandamide deficiency predicts stress-induced anxiety: behavioral reversal through endocannabinoid augmentation. Transl Psychiatry 4:e408
Shonesy, Brian C; Bluett, Rebecca J; Ramikie, Teniel S et al. (2014) Genetic disruption of 2-arachidonoylglycerol synthesis reveals a key role for endocannabinoid signaling in anxiety modulation. Cell Rep 9:1644-1653
Xu, Shu; Hermanson, Daniel J; Banerjee, Surajit et al. (2014) Oxicams bind in a novel mode to the cyclooxygenase active site via a two-water-mediated H-bonding Network. J Biol Chem 289:6799-808
Hermanson, Daniel J; Hartley, Nolan D; Gamble-George, Joyonna et al. (2013) Substrate-selective COX-2 inhibition decreases anxiety via endocannabinoid activation. Nat Neurosci 16:1291-8
Windsor, Matthew A; Hermanson, Daniel J; Kingsley, Philip J et al. (2012) Substrate-Selective Inhibition of Cyclooxygenase-2: Development and Evaluation of Achiral Profen Probes. ACS Med Chem Lett 3:759-763
Duggan, Kelsey C; Hermanson, Daniel J; Musee, Joel et al. (2011) (R)-Profens are substrate-selective inhibitors of endocannabinoid oxygenation by COX-2. Nat Chem Biol 7:803-9
Hermanson, Daniel J; Marnett, Lawrence J (2011) Cannabinoids, endocannabinoids, and cancer. Cancer Metastasis Rev 30:599-612