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International audience; The current opioid crisis highlights the urgent need to develop safe and effective pain medications. Thus, neurotensin (NT) compounds represent a promising approach, as the antinociceptive effects of NT are mediated by activation of the two G protein-coupled receptor subtypes (i.e., NTS1 and NTS2) and produce potent opioid-independent analgesia. Here, we describe the synthesis and pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic properties of the first constrained NTS2 macrocyclic NT(8-13) analog. The Tyr11 residue of NT(8-13) was replaced with a Trp residue to achieve NTS2 selectivity, and a rationally designed side-chain to side-chain macrocyclization reaction was applied between Lys8 and Trp11 to constrain the peptide in an active binding conformation and limit its recognition by proteolytic enzymes. The resulting macrocyclic peptide, CR-01-64, exhibited high-affinity for NTS2 (Ki 7.0 nM), with a more than 125-fold selectivity over NTS1, as well as an improved plasma stability profile (t1/2 > 24 h) compared with NT (t1/2 ~ 2 min). Following intrathecal administration, CR-01-64 exerted dose-dependent and long-lasting analgesic effects in acute (ED50 = 4.6 µg/kg) and tonic (ED50 = 7.1 µg/kg) pain models as well as strong mechanical anti-allodynic effects in the CFA-induced chronic inflammatory pain model. Of particular importance, this constrained NTS2 analog exerted potent nonopioid antinociceptive effects and potentiated opioid-induced analgesia when combined with morphine. At high doses, CR-01-64 did not cause hypothermia or ileum relaxation, although it did induce mild and short-term hypotension, all of which are physiological effects associated with NTS1 activation. Overall, these results demonstrate the strong therapeutic potential of NTS2-selective analogs for the management of pain.

Neurotensin (NT) receptor type 2 (NTS2) represents an attractive target for the development of new NT-based analgesics. Here, we report the synthesis and functional in vivo characterization of the first constrained NTS2-selective macrocyclic NT analog. While most chemical optimization studies rely on the NT(8-13) fragment, we focused on NT(7-12) as a scaffold to design NTS2-selective macrocyclic peptides. Replacement of Ile12 by Leu, and Pro7/Pro10 by allylglycine residues followed by cyclization via ring-closing metathesis led to macrocycle 4, which exhibits good affinity for NTS2 (50 nM), high selectivity over NTS1 (>100 μM), and improved stability compared to NT(8-13). In vivo profiling in rats reveals that macrocycle 4 produces potent analgesia in three distinct rodent pain models, without causing the undesired effects associated with NTS1 activation. We further provide evidence of its non-opioid antinociceptive activity, therefore highlighting the strong therapeutic potential of NTS2-selective analogs for the management of acute and chronic pain.

The endogenous tridecapeptide neurotensin (NT) has emerged as an important inhibitory modulator of pain transmission, exerting its analgesic action through the activation of the G protein-coupled receptors, NTS1 and NTS2. Whereas both NT receptors mediate the analgesic effects of NT, NTS1 activation also produces hypotension and hypothermia, which may represent obstacles for the development of new pain medications. In the present study, we implemented various chemical strategies to improve the metabolic stability of the biologically active fragment NT(8-13) and assessed their NTS1/NTS2 relative binding affinities. We then determined their ability to reduce the nociceptive behaviors in acute, tonic, and chronic pain models and to modulate blood pressure and body temperature. To this end, we synthesized a series of NT(8-13) analogs carrying a reduced amide bond at Lys8-Lys9 and harboring site-selective modifications with unnatural amino acids, such as silaproline (Sip) and trimethylsilylalanine (TMSAla). Incorporation of Sip and TMSAla respectively in positions 10 and 13 of NT(8-13) combined with the Lys8-Lys9 reduced amine bond (JMV5296) greatly prolonged the plasma half-life time over 20 hours. These modifications also led to a 25-fold peptide selectivity toward NTS2. More importantly, central delivery of JMV5296 was able to induce a strong antinociceptive effect in acute (tail-flick), tonic (formalin), and chronic inflammatory (CFA) pain models without inducing hypothermia. Altogether, these results demonstrate that the chemically-modified NT(8-13) analog JMV5296 exhibits a better therapeutic profile and may thus represent a promising avenue to guide the development of new stable NT agonists and improve pain management., This is the post-print (accepted) version of the following article: Vivancos M, et al. (2021), Behav Brain Res. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2021.113189, which has been accepted and published in final form at https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166432821000772

Pepducins are cell-penetrating, membrane-tethered lipopeptides designed to target the intracellular region of a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) in order to allosterically modulate the receptor's signaling output. In this proof-of-concept study, we explored the pain-relief potential of a pepducin series derived from the first intracellular loop of neurotensin receptor type 1 (NTS1), a class A GPCR that mediates many of the effects of the neurotensin (NT) tridecapeptide, including hypothermia, hypotension and analgesia. We used BRET-based biosensors to determine the pepducins' ability to engage G protein signaling pathways associated with NTS1 activation. We observed partial Gq and G13 activation at a 10 {\mu}M concentration, indicating that these pepducins may act as allosteric agonists of NTS1. Additionally, we used surface plasmon resonance (SPR) as a label-free assay to monitor pepducin-induced responses in CHO-K1 cells stably expressing hNTS1. This whole-cell integrated assay enabled us to subdivide our pepducin series into three profile response groups. In order to determine the pepducins' antinociceptive potential, we then screened the series in an acute pain model (tail-flick test) by measuring tail withdrawal latencies to a thermal nociceptive stimulus, following intrathecal pepducin administration (275 nmol/kg). We further evaluated promising pepducins in a tonic pain model (formalin test), as well as in neuropathic (Chronic Constriction Injury) and inflammatory (Complete Freund's Adjuvant) chronic pain models. We report one pepducin, PP-001, that consistently reduced rat nociceptive behaviors, even in chronic pain paradigm. Altogether, these results suggest that NTS1-derived pepducins may represent a promising strategy in pain-relief., Comment: This is the accepted version of the following article: Brouillette RL, et al. (2020), Pharmacological Research. doi:10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104750 , which has been accepted and published in final form at https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phrs.2020.104750

Neurotensin (NT) exerts its analgesic effects through activation of the G protein-coupled receptors NTS1 and NTS2. This opioid-independent antinociception represents a potential alternative for pain management. While activation of NTS1 also induces a drop in blood pressure and body temperature, NTS2 appears to be an analgesic target free of these adverse effects. Here, we report modifications of NT at Tyr11 to increase selectivity toward NTS2, complemented by modifications at the N-terminus to impair proteolytic degradation of the biologically active NT(8-13) sequence. Replacement of Tyr11 by either 6-OH-Tic or 7-OH-Tic resulted in a significant loss of binding affinity to NTS1 and subsequent NTS2 selectivity. Incorporation of the unnatural amino acid β3hLys at position 8 increased the half-life to over 24 h in plasma. Simultaneous integration of both β3hLys8 and 6-OH-Tic11 into NT(8-13) produced a potent and NTS2-selective analogue with strong analgesic action after intrathecal delivery in the rat formalin-induced pain model with an ED50 of 1.4 nmol. Additionally, intravenous administration of this NT analogue did not produce persistent hypotension or hypothermia. These results demonstrate that NT analogues harboring unnatural amino acids at positions 8 and 11 can enhance crucial pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic features for NT(8-13) analogues, i.e., proteolytic stability, NTS2 selectivity, and improved analgesic/adverse effect ratio.

Baclofen, a γ-amino-butyric acid type-B receptor agonist with exponentially increased use at high-dose to facilitate abstinence in chronic alcoholics, is responsible for increasing poisonings. Tolerance and withdrawal syndromes have been reported during prolonged treatment but their contribution to the variability of baclofen-induced neurotoxicity in overdose is unknown. We studied baclofen-induced effects on rat sedation, temperature, and ventilation and modeled baclofen pharmacokinetics and effect/concentration relationships aiming to investigate the consequences of repeated baclofen pretreatment and to characterize withdrawal syndrome. Baclofen-induced dose-dependent sedation (p

Baclofen, a γ-amino-butyric acid type-B receptor agonist with exponentially increased use at high-dose to facilitate abstinence in chronic alcoholics, is responsible for increasing poisonings. Baclofen overdose may induce severe encephalopathy and electroencephalographic (EEG) abnormalities. Whether prior prolonged baclofen treatment may influence the severity of baclofen-induced encephalopathy in overdose has not been established. We designed a rat study to characterize baclofen-induced encephalopathy, correlate its severity with plasma concentrations and investigate the contribution of tolerance. Baclofen-induced encephalopathy was assessed using continuous EEG and scored based on a ten-grade scale. Following the administration by gavage of 116 mg/kg baclofen, EEG rapidly and steadily impaired resulting in the successive onset of deepening sleep followed by generalized periodic epileptiform discharges and burst-suppressions. Thereafter, encephalopathy progressively recovered following similar phases in reverse. Periodic triphasic sharp waves, non-convulsive status epilepticus and even isoelectric signals were observed at the most critical stages. Prior repeated baclofen administration resulted in reduced severity (peak: grade 7 versus 9; peak effect length: 382 ± 40 versus 123 ± 14 min, P = 0.008) and duration of encephalopathy (18 versus > 24 h, P = 0.0007), supporting the acquisition of tolerance. The relationship between encephalopathy severity and plasma baclofen concentrations fitted a sigmoidal Emax model with an anticlockwise hysteresis loop suggesting a hypothetical biophase site of action. The baclofen concentration producing a response equivalent to 50% of Emax was significantly reduced (8947 μg/L, ±11.3% versus 12,728 μg/L, ±24.0% [mean, coefficient of variation], P = 0.03) with prior prolonged baclofen administration. In conclusion, baclofen overdose induces early-onset and prolonged marked encephalopathy that is significantly attenuated by prior repeated baclofen treatment. Our findings suggest a possible role for the blood-brain barrier in the development of tolerance; however, its definitive involvement remains to be demonstrated.