M.-C. Fournie-Zaluski

Bio: M.-C. Fournie-Zaluski is an academic researcher from French Institute of Health and Medical Research. The author has contributed to research in topics: Enkephalin & RB-101. The author has an hindex of 21, co-authored 42 publications receiving 1428 citations.

Radioimmunoassay of methionine- and leucine-enkephalins in regions of rat brain and comparison with endorphins estimated by a radioreceptor assay.

Abstract: — Radioimmunoassays (RIAs) selective for methionine-enkephalin (Met-ENK) and leucineenkephalin (Leu-ENK) have been developed using competition towards binding of 10 pM 125I-enkephalins to antibodies raised in rabbits against ENKs coupled to ovalbumin with carbodiimide. The high sensitivity of the RIAs (IC50 0.57 nm and 0.55 nm for Met- and Leu-ENK, respectively) allowed estimation of the enkephalin content in extracts of all rat brain regions. Regional levels are compared with those determined on the same extracts by a radioreceptor assay (RRA) using competition towards binding of 5 nm [3H]Leu-ENK to rat striatal membranes. Optimal conditions for killing the animals and extracting the endorphins have been carefully investigated: killing by rapid microwave irradiation was not found necessary as long as brain regions were homogenized into 0.1 n-HCl before deproteinization. Marked differences both in total endorphins (RRA) and ENKs (RIA) between regions are observed with similar ranking of the various regions: highest levels are found in striatum and hypothalamus and lowest in cerebellum and hippocampus. In each region the total ENK levels (RIA) represent only 2–13% of the total endorphins (RRA) suggesting the presence of large amounts of endorphins other than the ENKs.

Inhibition of the enkephalin-metabolizing enzymes by the first systemically active mixed inhibitor prodrug RB 101 induces potent analgesic responses in mice and rats.

Abstract: N-([(R,S)-2-benzyl-3[(S)(2-amino-4-methylthio)butyl dithio]-1-oxopropyl)-L-phenylalanine benzyl ester (RB101) is the first systemically active prodrug generating through a biologically dependent cleavage of the disulfide bond the potent (S)2-amino-1-mercapto-4-methylthio butane (aminopeptidase N) (IC50 = 11 nM) and N-[(R,S)-2-mercapto-methyl-1-oxo-3-phenylpropyl]-L-phenylalanine (neutral endopeptidase) (IC50 = 2 nM) inhibitors (aminopeptidase N). RB101 easily crosses the blood-brain barrier, as shown by the observed complete inhibition of cerebral endopeptidase 24.11 after i.v. injection in mice. The prodrug induces strong, dose-dependent antinociceptive responses in mice after i.v., i.p. or s.c. administration, in the hot plate (ED50 = 9 mg/kg) and phenylbenzoquinone-induced writhing (ED50-3.25 mg/kg) tests in mice, which are currently used in analgesics screening. RB101 is also active in the tail-flick and tail-electric stimulation tests in rats. In contrast, under disulfide forms, the above selective aminopeptidase N or endopeptidase 24.11 inhibitors are inactive after i.v. administration and their association 3 times less potent than RB101 alone. In all the tests used, the pain-alleviating effect of RB101 was suppressed by naloxone, but, except for the tail-flick and the motor response to tail-electric stimulation, not by the delta-selective antagonist naltrindole. The preferential involvement of mu opioid receptors in the analgesic effects of endogenous enkephalins, whose extracellular levels are increased by the two RB101-generated inhibitors, is suggested by the similar apparent pA2 values for RB101-naloxone (pA2: 7.53 +/- 0.046) and DAMGO (mu-selective ligand)-naloxone (pA2: 7.38 +/- 0.049).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Selective protection of methionine enkephalin released from brain slices by enkephalinase inhibition.

Abstract: Methionine enkephalin release was evoked by depolarization of slices from rat striatum with potassium. In the presence of 0.1 microM thiorphan [(N(R,S)-3-mercapto-2-benzylpropionyl)glycine], a potent inhibitor of enkephalin dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase (enkephalinase), the recovery of the pentapeptide in the incubation medium was increased by about 100 percent. A similar effect was observed with the dipeptide phenylalanylalanine, a selective although less potent enkephalinase inhibitor. Inhibition of other known enkephalin-hydrolyzing enzymes--aminopeptidase by 0.1 mM puromycin or angiotensin-converting enzyme by 1 microM captopril--did not significantly enhance the recovery of released methionine enkephalin. These data indicate that enkephalinase is critically involved in the inactivation of the endogenous opioid peptide released from striatal neurons.

Effects of kelatorphan and other peptidase inhibitors on the in vitro and in vivo release of methionine-enkephalin-like material from the rat spinal cord.

Abstract: The effects of the novel mixed peptidase inhibitor, kelatorphan [N-(R)-3-(N-hydroxyaminocarbonyl-2-benzyl-1-oxopropyl)-L-alanine], were compared to those of a combination of the potent "enkephalinase" inhibitor thiorphan and the nonselective aminopeptidase inhibitor bestatin, on the catabolism of [3H]Met-enkephalin and on the release of endogenous Met-enkephalin by the rat spinal cord in vitro and in vivo. At 20 microM, kelatorphan almost prevented completely the degradation of exogenous [3H] Met-enkephalin by slices of the dorsal zone of the lumbar enlargement. Similarly, the addition of 20 microM kelatorphan to a [3H] Met-enkephalin-containing artificial cerebrospinal fluid superfusing the whole spinal cord of halothane-anesthetized rats efficiently protected the exogenous peptide from enzymatic degradation. In contrast, in the same in vitro and in vivo models, thiorphan (1 microM) or bestatin (20 microM) alone was inactive, and only their combination induced a significant protection of the exogenous peptide. In vitro and in vivo, kelatorphan (20 microM) increased markedly the spontaneous outflow of endogenous Met-enkephalin-like material as well as the peptide overflow due to K+-induced depolarization (in vitro and in vivo) or noxious stimulation (in vivo). Under similar conditions, thiorphan (1 microM) plus bestatin (20 microM) also enhanced the efflux of Met-enkephalin-like material, but generally to a lower extent than kelatorphan. Compared to thiorphan plus bestatin, kelatorphan exerts additional inhibitory effects on dipeptidylaminopeptidase activity and the present results could indicate that this enzyme also may be involved in the inactivation of extracellular Met-enkephalin at the spinal level in rats.

Cholecystokinin B antagonists strongly potentiate antinociception mediated by endogenous enkephalins.

Abstract: The effects of pretreatment with the selective cholecystokinin (CCK) B antagonists (3R-(+)-N-(2,3-dihydro-1-methyl-2-oxo-5-phenyl-1H-1, 4-benzodiazepin-3-yl)-N1-(3-methylphenyl urea (L-365,260), 4-([2-[[3-(1H-indol-3-yl)-2-methyl-1-oxo-2-[[tricyclo[3.3, 1.1(3.7)]dec-2-yloxy)carbonyl]amino]propyl]amino]-1-phenylethyl] amin)-4-oxo-[R-(R*,R*)]butanoate-N-methyl-D-glucamine (PD-134,308) and N-(2-adamantyloxycarbonyl)-D-alpha-methyltryptophanyl-[N-(2- (4-chlorophenyl)ethyl)]glycine (RB 211), on the naloxone-reversible, antinociceptive responses induced by systemic (i.v.) administration of the complete inhibitor of the enkephalin-catabolizing enzymes, N-((R,S,)-2-benzyl-3[(S)-(2-amino-4-methylthio)butyldithio]-1- oxopropyl)-L-phenylalanine benzyl ester (RB 101), were determined in rat tail-flick and mouse hot-plate tests. L-365,260 (0.12, 0.25 and 0.5 mg/kg s.c.), PD-134,308 (0.3, 1 and 3 mg/kg i.p.) and RB 211 (0.5, 1 and 1.5 mg/kg i.p.) strongly potentiated the antinociceptive effects induced by RB 101 in the rat tail-flick test, in which spinal control of nociception is predominant. Thus, the antinociception observed after the association of L-365,260 (0.5 mg/kg), RB 211 (1.5 mg/kg) or PD-134,308 (3 mg/kg) with RB 101 (5 mg/kg) was, respectively, 300, 500 and 800% higher than that observed with RB 101 given alone. This facilitatory effect was partially blocked by the administration of naloxone (1 mg/kg s.c.). Under the same conditions the potentiation of the antinociceptive response produced by morphine (0.1-4 mg/kg s.c.) was inferior to 250%. In the mouse hot-plate test, L-365,260 (0.02 and 0.1 mg/kg i.p.) and PD-134,308 (0.3, 1 and 3 mg/kg i.p.) also enhanced endogenous enkephalin induced antiociception, but this potentiating effect, completely reversed by administration of naloxone (0.1 mg/kg s.c.), was about 2 times less effective than in the tail-flick assay. The present findings demonstrate an opposing physiological role of endogenous CCK, acting on CCK B receptors, and opioid peptides in the control of pain perception at both spinal and supraspinal levels. These results could have important clinical applications because a combination of a CCK B antagonist and RB 101, which has been showed to be almost devoid of morphine side effects, would increase the overall antinociceptive efficacy into a range that will be more clinically useful.

Loss of morphine-induced analgesia, reward effect and withdrawal symptoms in mice lacking the mu-opioid-receptor gene.

Abstract: Despite tremendous efforts in the search for safe, efficacious and non-addictive opioids for pain treatment, morphine remains the most valuable painkiller in contemporary medicine. Opioids exert their pharmacological actions through three opioid-receptor classes, mu, delta and kappa, whose genes have been cloned. Genetic approaches are now available to delineate the contribution of each receptor in opioid function in vivo. Here we disrupt the mu-opioid-receptor gene in mice by homologous recombination and find that there are no overt behavioural abnormalities or major compensatory changes within the opioid system in these animals. Investigation of the behavioural effects of morphine reveals that a lack of mu receptors abolishes the analgesic effect of morphine, as well as place-preference activity and physical dependence. We observed no behavioural responses related to delta- or kappa-receptor activation with morphine, although these receptors are present and bind opioid ligands. We conclude that the mu-opioid-receptor gene product is the molecular target of morphine in vivo and that it is a mandatory component of the opioid system for morphine action.

Mice deficient for delta- and mu-opioid receptors exhibit opposing alterations of emotional responses

Abstract: The role of the opioid system in controlling pain, reward and addiction is well established, but its role in regulating other emotional responses is poorly documented in pharmacology. The mu-, delta- and kappa- opioid receptors (encoded by Oprm, Oprd1 and Oprk1, respectively) mediate the biological activity of opioids. We have generated Oprd1-deficient mice and compared the behavioural responses of mice lacking Oprd1, Oprm (ref. 6) and Oprk1 (ref. 7) in several models of anxiety and depression. Our data show no detectable phenotype in Oprk1-/- mutants, suggesting that kappa-receptors do not have a role in this aspect of opioid function; opposing phenotypes in Oprm-/- and Oprd1-/- mutants which contrasts with the classical notion of similar activities of mu- and delta-receptors; and consistent anxiogenic- and depressive-like responses in Oprd1-/- mice, indicating that delta-receptor activity contributes to improvement of mood states. We conclude that the Oprd1-encoded receptor, which has been proposed to be a promising target for the clinical management of pain, should also be considered in the treatment of drug addiction and other mood-related disorders.

The immunocytochemical localization of enkephalin in the central nervous system of the rat

Abstract: The immunocytochemical localization of enkephalin-like immunoreactivity (ELI) throughout the rat central nervous system (CNS) was investigated. The detection of ELI-containing structures was facilitated through the use of (1) brains from colchicine-treated rats, (2) the proteolytic pretreatment of sections with pronase and (3) the “double-bridge” staining technique. Our findings confirm the presence of ELI in perikarya, neuronal processes and terminals in many areas of the CNS. In addition, the localization of ELI-containing perikarya is reported for the first time in the following areas: the olfactory bulb, the olfactory tubercle, the lateral preoptic nucleus, several nuclei within the amygdaloid nuclear complex, the hippocampus, the neocortex, the cingulate cortex, the posterior mammillary nucleus, the medial nucleus of the optic tract, the brachium of the inferior colliculus, the ventral tegmental nucleus, the locus ceruleus, the subceruleal region, the lateral trapezoid nucleus, the nucleus reticularis lateralis, and lamina VII of the cervical spinal cord. Our results demonstrate ELI in neurons which are heterogeneous in size, some probably functioning as interneurons and others as projection neurons in different areas of the CNS. The location of these neurons within the brain suggests that these pentapeptides serve diverse functions which include, in addition to nociception, the regulation of neuroendocrine, respiratory, auditory, vestibular, and olfactory functions.