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Self-administration of the anandamide transport inhibitor AM404 by squirrel monkeys

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Abstract

Rationale

N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-arachidonamide (AM404) is an anandamide transport inhibitor shown to reduce rewarding and relapse-inducing effects of nicotine in several animal models of tobacco dependence. However, the reinforcing/rewarding effects of AM404 are not clear.

Objectives

We investigated whether AM404 maintains self-administration behavior or reinstates extinguished drug seeking in squirrel monkeys.

Methods and results

In monkeys with a history of anandamide or cocaine self-administration, we substituted injections of AM404 (1–100 μg/kg/injection). Using a 10-response, fixed-ratio schedule, self-administration behavior was maintained by AM404. Dose–response curves had inverted U shapes, with peak response rates occurring at a dose of 10 μg/kg/injection. In anandamide-experienced monkeys, we also demonstrated self-administration of another anandamide transport inhibitor VDM11. In addition to supporting self-administration, priming injections of AM404 (0.03–0.3 mg/kg) reinstated drug-seeking behavior previously reinforced by cannabinoids (∆9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) or anandamide) or cocaine. Both AM404 self-administration behavior and reinstatement of drug seeking by AM404 were reduced by treatment with the cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist rimonabant (0.3 mg/kg). Moreover, the reinforcing effects of AM404 were potentiated by the treatment with the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 (0.3 mg/kg) suggesting a major role of anandamide in these effects. Finally, AM404 (0.3 mg/kg) potentiated the reinforcing effects of anandamide but not those of cocaine.

Conclusions

In non-human primates, AM404 effectively reinforced self-administration behavior and induced reinstatement of drug-seeking behavior in abstinent monkeys. These effects appeared to be mediated by cannabinoid CB1 receptors. Therefore, compounds that promote actions of endocannabinoids throughout the brain by inhibiting their membrane transport may have a potential for abuse.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Intramural Research Program of NIDA, NIH and by NIDA grants R01DA003801 and R01DA007215 (to Dr. Makriyannis). We thank Dr. Daniele Piomelli for providing URB597 and NIDA Drug Supply Program for providing THC and rimonabant.

We dedicate this paper to our colleague and friend Steven R. Goldberg who passed away suddenly on November 25, 2014.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Preclinical Pharmacology Section, Behavioral Neuroscience Research Branch, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, 251 Bayview Boulevard, Baltimore, MD, 21224, USA

    Charles W. Schindler, Godfrey H. Redhi, Steven R. Goldberg & Zuzana Justinova

  2. Department of Biomedical Sciences, Section of Neuroscience and Clinical Pharmacology, University of Cagliari, Monserrato, Italy

    Maria Scherma

  3. Center for Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA

    Subramanian K. Vadivel

  4. Center for Drug Discovery, Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, MA, USA

    Alexandros Makriyannis

Authors
  1. Charles W. Schindler
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  2. Maria Scherma
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  3. Godfrey H. Redhi
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  4. Subramanian K. Vadivel
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  5. Alexandros Makriyannis
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  6. Steven R. Goldberg
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  7. Zuzana Justinova
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Charles W. Schindler.

Ethics declarations

The facilities were fully accredited by the Association for the Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care (AAALAC), and experiments were conducted in accordance with guidelines of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of the Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, and the Guidelines for the Care and Use of Mammals in Neuroscience and Behavioral Research (National Research Council 2003).

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

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Schindler, C.W., Scherma, M., Redhi, G.H. et al. Self-administration of the anandamide transport inhibitor AM404 by squirrel monkeys. Psychopharmacology 233, 1867–1877 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-016-4211-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00213-016-4211-3

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