All Outputs (64)

Mu Opioid Receptor Activation is Required for NMDA Receptor Antagonist Effects on Stress-induced Maladaptive Behavior (2025)
Journal Article
Langreck, C. B., Chen, B., Luna, V. M., Nelson, M., Turi, G., Hill, R., Rubinstenn, G., Canals, M., Lane, J. R., Denny, C. A., & Javitch, J. A. (2025). Mu Opioid Receptor Activation is Required for NMDA Receptor Antagonist Effects on Stress-induced Maladaptive Behavior. Biological Psychiatry, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsych.2025.07.004

Background
Contradictory evidence has emerged regarding the role of the mu opioid receptor (MOR) in the antidepressant actions of (R,S)-ketamine.

Methods
Here, we used the long acting MOR-selective antagonist methocinnamox (MCAM) to determine th... Read More about Mu Opioid Receptor Activation is Required for NMDA Receptor Antagonist Effects on Stress-induced Maladaptive Behavior.

Identification of a Lipid-Exposed Extrahelical Binding Site for Positive Allosteric Modulators of the Dopamine D₂ Receptor (2025)
Journal Article
Lim, H. D., Bartuzi, D., Keen, A. C., Rauffenbart, C., Glenn, J., Charlton, S. J., Lovera, S., Sands, Z. A., Ates, A., Wood, M., Canals, M., Javitch, J. A., Carlsson, J., & Lane, J. R. (2025). Identification of a Lipid-Exposed Extrahelical Binding Site for Positive Allosteric Modulators of the Dopamine D₂ Receptor. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 16(12), 2295–2311. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.5c00105

Recently, the first small-molecule positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) were identified. The more potent PAM potentiated the effects of D2R signaling in vitro and in an in vivo model predictive of anti-Parkinson’s e... Read More about Identification of a Lipid-Exposed Extrahelical Binding Site for Positive Allosteric Modulators of the Dopamine D₂ Receptor.

Key phosphorylation sites for robust β-arrestin2 binding at the MOR revisited (2024)
Journal Article
Underwood, O., Fritzwanker, S., Glenn, J., Blum, N. K., Batista-Gondin, A., Drube, J., Hoffmann, C., Briddon, S. J., Schulz, S., & Canals, M. (2024). Key phosphorylation sites for robust β-arrestin2 binding at the MOR revisited. Communications Biology, 7, Article 933. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-024-06571-1

Desensitisation of the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) is proposed to underlie the initiation of opioid analgesic tolerance and previous work has shown that agonist-induced phosphorylation of the MOR C-tail contributes to this desensitisation. Moreover, pho... Read More about Key phosphorylation sites for robust β-arrestin2 binding at the MOR revisited.

Enantioselective de novo synthesis of 14-hydroxy-6-oxomorphinans (2024)
Journal Article
Moore, J. C., Modell, L., Glenn, J. R., Jones, K. D., Argent, S. P., Lane, J. R., Canals, M., & Lam, H. W. (2024). Enantioselective de novo synthesis of 14-hydroxy-6-oxomorphinans. Chemical Communications, 60(47), 6007-6010. https://doi.org/10.1039/d4cc01788a

The enantioselective de novo synthesis of pharmacologically important 14-hydroxy-6-oxomorphinans is described. 4,5-Desoxynaltrexone and 4,5-desoxynaloxone were prepared using this route and their biological activities against the opioid receptors wer... Read More about Enantioselective de novo synthesis of 14-hydroxy-6-oxomorphinans.

In Vitro Functional Profiling of Fentanyl and Nitazene Analogs at the μ-Opioid Receptor Reveals High Efficacy for Gi Protein Signaling (2024)
Journal Article
Tsai, M.-H. M., Chen, L., Baumann, M. H., Canals, M., Javitch, J. A., Lane, J. R., & Shi, L. (2024). In Vitro Functional Profiling of Fentanyl and Nitazene Analogs at the μ-Opioid Receptor Reveals High Efficacy for Gi Protein Signaling. ACS Chemical Neuroscience, 15(4), 854-867. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschemneuro.3c00750

Novel synthetic opioids (NSOs), including both fentanyl and non-fentanyl analogs that act as μ-opioid receptor (MOR) agonists, are associated with serious intoxication and fatal overdose. Previous studies proposed that G-protein-biased MOR agonists a... Read More about In Vitro Functional Profiling of Fentanyl and Nitazene Analogs at the μ-Opioid Receptor Reveals High Efficacy for Gi Protein Signaling.

Small Molecule Fluorescent Ligands for the Atypical Chemokine Receptor 3 (ACKR3) (2023)
Journal Article
Dekkers, S., Comez, D., Karsai, N., Arimont-Segura, M., Canals, M., Caspar, B., de Graaf, C., Kilpatrick, L. E., Leurs, R., Kellam, B., Hill, S. J., Briddon, S. J., & Stocks, M. J. (2024). Small Molecule Fluorescent Ligands for the Atypical Chemokine Receptor 3 (ACKR3). ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters, 15(1), 143–148. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00469

The atypical chemokine receptor 3 (ACKR3) is a receptor that induces cancer progression and metastasis in multiple cell types. Therefore, new chemical tools are required to study the role of ACKR3 in cancer and other diseases. In this study, fluoresc... Read More about Small Molecule Fluorescent Ligands for the Atypical Chemokine Receptor 3 (ACKR3).

Differential interaction patterns of opioid analgesics with µ opioid receptors correlate with ligand-specific voltage sensitivity (2023)
Journal Article
Kirchhofer, S. B., Lim, V. J. Y., Ernst, S., Karsai, N., Julia, R. G., Canals, M., Kolb, P., & Bünemann, M. (2023). Differential interaction patterns of opioid analgesics with µ opioid receptors correlate with ligand-specific voltage sensitivity. eLife, 12, Article e91291. https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.91291

The µ opioid receptor (MOR) is the key target for analgesia, but the application of opioids is accompanied by several issues. There is a wide range of opioid analgesics, differing in their chemical structure and their properties of receptor activatio... Read More about Differential interaction patterns of opioid analgesics with µ opioid receptors correlate with ligand-specific voltage sensitivity.

Assessment of the potential of novel and classical opioids to induce respiratory depression in mice (2023)
Journal Article
Hill, R., Sanchez, J., Lemel, L., Antonijevic, M., Hosking, Y., Mistry, S. N., Kruegel, A. C., Javitch, J. A., Lane, J. R., & Canals, M. (2023). Assessment of the potential of novel and classical opioids to induce respiratory depression in mice. British Journal of Pharmacology, 180(24), 3160-3174. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.16199

Background and Purpose
Opioid-induced respiratory depression limits the use of μ-opioid receptor agonists in clinical settings and is the main cause of opioid overdose fatalities. The relative potential of different opioid agonists to induce respira... Read More about Assessment of the potential of novel and classical opioids to induce respiratory depression in mice.

Pharmacological and Physicochemical Properties Optimization for Dual-Target Dopamine D3 (D3R) and μ-Opioid (MOR) Receptor Ligands as Potentially Safer Analgesics (2023)
Journal Article
Bonifazi, A., Saab, E., Sanchez, J., Nazarova, A. L., Zaidi, S. A., Jahan, K., Katritch, V., Canals, M., Lane, J. R., & Newman, A. H. (2023). Pharmacological and Physicochemical Properties Optimization for Dual-Target Dopamine D3 (D3R) and μ-Opioid (MOR) Receptor Ligands as Potentially Safer Analgesics. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 66(15), 10304–10341. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00417

A new generation of dual-target μ opioid receptor (MOR) agonist/dopamine D3 receptor (D3R) antagonist/partial agonists with optimized physicochemical properties was designed and synthesized. Combining in vitro cell-based on-target/off-target affinity... Read More about Pharmacological and Physicochemical Properties Optimization for Dual-Target Dopamine D3 (D3R) and μ-Opioid (MOR) Receptor Ligands as Potentially Safer Analgesics.

OZITX, A pertussis toxin-like protein for occluding inhibitory G protein signalling including Gαz (2022)
Journal Article
Keen, A. C., Pedersen, M. H., Lemel, L., Scott, D. J., Canals, M., Littler, D. R., Beddoe, T., Ono, Y., Shi, L., Inoue, A., Javitch, J. A., & Lane, J. R. (2022). OZITX, A pertussis toxin-like protein for occluding inhibitory G protein signalling including Gαz. Communications Biology, 5(1), Article 256. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-022-03191-5

Heterotrimeric G proteins are the main signalling effectors for G protein-coupled receptors. Understanding the distinct functions of different G proteins is key to understanding how their signalling modulates physiological responses. Pertussis toxin,... Read More about OZITX, A pertussis toxin-like protein for occluding inhibitory G protein signalling including Gαz.

The respiratory depressant effects of mitragynine are limited by its conversion to 7-OH mitragynine (2022)
Journal Article
Hill, R., Kruegel, A. C., Javitch, J. A., Lane, J. R., & Canals, M. (2022). The respiratory depressant effects of mitragynine are limited by its conversion to 7-OH mitragynine. British Journal of Pharmacology, 179(14), 3875-3885. https://doi.org/10.1111/bph.15832

Background and Purpose: Mitragynine, the major alkaloid in Mitragyna speciosa (kratom), is a partial agonist at the μ opioid receptor. CYP3A-dependent oxidation of mitragynine yields the metabolite 7-OH mitragynine, a more efficacious μ receptor agon... Read More about The respiratory depressant effects of mitragynine are limited by its conversion to 7-OH mitragynine.

Positive allosteric modulation of endogenous delta opioid receptor signaling in the enteric nervous system is a potential treatment for gastrointestinal motility disorders (2021)
Journal Article
DiCello, J. J., Carbone, S. E., Saito, A., Pham, V., Szymaszkiewicz, A., Gondin, A. B., Alvi, S., Marique, K., Shenoy, P., Veldhuis, N. A., Fichna, J., Canals, M., Christopoulos, A., Valant, C., & Poole, D. P. (2022). Positive allosteric modulation of endogenous delta opioid receptor signaling in the enteric nervous system is a potential treatment for gastrointestinal motility disorders. AJP - Gastrointestinal and Liver Physiology, 322(1), G66-G78. https://doi.org/10.1152/AJPGI.00297.2021

Allosteric modulators (AMs) are molecules that can fine-tune signaling by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Although they are a promising therapeutic approach for treating a range of disorders, allosteric modulation of GPCRs in the context of the... Read More about Positive allosteric modulation of endogenous delta opioid receptor signaling in the enteric nervous system is a potential treatment for gastrointestinal motility disorders.

Anxiety enhances pain in a model of osteoarthritis and is associated with altered endogenous opioid function and reduced opioid analgesia (2021)
Journal Article
Lillywhite, A., Woodhams, S. G., Gonçalves, S. V., Watson, D. J. G., Li, L., Burston, J. J., Gowler, P. R. W., Canals, M., Walsh, D. A., Hathway, G. J., & Chapman, V. (2021). Anxiety enhances pain in a model of osteoarthritis and is associated with altered endogenous opioid function and reduced opioid analgesia. PAIN Reports, 6(4), Article e956. https://doi.org/10.1097/PR9.0000000000000956

Introduction:
Negative affect, including anxiety and depression, is prevalent in chronic pain states such as osteoarthritis (OA) and associated with greater use of opioid analgesics, potentially contributing to present and future opioid crises.... Read More about Anxiety enhances pain in a model of osteoarthritis and is associated with altered endogenous opioid function and reduced opioid analgesia.

Atypical opioid receptors: unconventional biology and therapeutic opportunities (2021)
Journal Article
Palmer, C. B., Meyrath, M., Canals, M., Kostenis, E., Chevigné, A., & Szpakowska, M. (2022). Atypical opioid receptors: unconventional biology and therapeutic opportunities. Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Article 108014. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.108014

Endogenous opioid peptides and prescription opioid drugs modulate pain, anxiety and stress by activating four opioid receptors, namely μ (mu, MOP), δ (delta, DOP), κ (kappa, KOP) and the nociceptin/orphanin FQ receptor (NOP). Interestingly, several o... Read More about Atypical opioid receptors: unconventional biology and therapeutic opportunities.

Experimental considerations for the assessment of in vivo and in vitro opioid pharmacology (2021)
Journal Article
Hill, R., & Canals, M. (2022). Experimental considerations for the assessment of in vivo and in vitro opioid pharmacology. Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 230, Article 107961. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.107961

Morphine and other mu-opioid receptor (MOR) agonists remain the mainstay treatment of acute and prolonged pain states worldwide. The major limiting factor for continued use of these current opioids is the high incidence of side effects that result in... Read More about Experimental considerations for the assessment of in vivo and in vitro opioid pharmacology.

Novel Dual-Target μ-Opioid Receptor and Dopamine D3 Receptor Ligands as Potential Nonaddictive Pharmacotherapeutics for Pain Management (2021)
Journal Article
Bonifazi, A., Battiti, F. O., Sanchez, J., Zaidi, S. A., Bow, E., Makarova, M., Cao, J., Shaik, A. B., Sulima, A., Rice, K. C., Katritch, V., Canals, M., Lane, J. R., & Newman, A. H. (2021). Novel Dual-Target μ-Opioid Receptor and Dopamine D3 Receptor Ligands as Potential Nonaddictive Pharmacotherapeutics for Pain Management. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 64(11), 7778-7808. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00611

The need for safer pain-management therapies with decreased abuse liability inspired a novel drug design that retains μ-opioid receptor (MOR)-mediated analgesia, while minimizing addictive liability. We recently demonstrated that targeting the dopami... Read More about Novel Dual-Target μ-Opioid Receptor and Dopamine D3 Receptor Ligands as Potential Nonaddictive Pharmacotherapeutics for Pain Management.

Glycosylation Regulates N-Terminal Proteolysis and Activity of the Chemokine CCL14 (2021)
Journal Article
Wang, S., Foster, S. R., Sanchez, J., Corcilius, L., Larance, M., Canals, M., Stone, M. J., & Payne, R. J. (2021). Glycosylation Regulates N-Terminal Proteolysis and Activity of the Chemokine CCL14. ACS Chemical Biology, 16(6), 973-981. https://doi.org/10.1021/acschembio.1c00006

Chemokines are secreted proteins that regulate leukocyte migration during inflammatory responses by signaling through chemokine receptors. Full length CC chemokine ligand 14, CCL14(1–74), is a weak agonist for the chemokine receptor CCR1, but its act... Read More about Glycosylation Regulates N-Terminal Proteolysis and Activity of the Chemokine CCL14.

Systematic assessment of chemokine signaling at chemokine receptors ccr4, ccr7 and ccr10 (2021)
Journal Article
Lim, H. D., Robert Lane, J., Canals, M., & Stone, M. J. (2021). Systematic assessment of chemokine signaling at chemokine receptors ccr4, ccr7 and ccr10. International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 22(8), Article 4232. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms22084232

Chemokines interact with chemokine receptors in a promiscuous network, such that each receptor can be activated by multiple chemokines. Moreover, different chemokines have been reported to preferentially activate different signalling pathways via the... Read More about Systematic assessment of chemokine signaling at chemokine receptors ccr4, ccr7 and ccr10.

New phosphosite-specific antibodies to unravel the role of GRK phosphorylation in dopamine D2 receptor regulation and signaling (2021)
Journal Article
Mann, A., Keen, A. C., Mark, H., Dasgupta, P., Javitch, J. A., Canals, M., Schulz, S., & Robert Lane, J. (2022). New phosphosite-specific antibodies to unravel the role of GRK phosphorylation in dopamine D2 receptor regulation and signaling. Scientific Reports, 11(1), Article 8288. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-87417-2

The dopamine D2 receptor (D2R) is the target of drugs used to treat the symptoms of Parkinson’s disease and schizophrenia. The D2R is regulated through its interaction with and phosphorylation by G protein receptor kinases (GRKs) and interaction with... Read More about New phosphosite-specific antibodies to unravel the role of GRK phosphorylation in dopamine D2 receptor regulation and signaling.

A lipid-anchored neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist prolongs pain relief by a three-pronged mechanism of action targeting the receptor at the plasma membrane and in endosomes (2021)
Journal Article
Mai, Q. N., Shenoy, P., Quach, T., Retamal, J. S., Gondin, A. B., Yeatman, H. R., Aurelio, L., Conner, J. W., Poole, D. P., Canals, M., Nowell, C. J., Graham, B., Davis, T. P., Briddon, S. J., Hill, S. J., Porter, C. J., Bunnett, N. W., Halls, M. L., & Veldhuis, N. A. (2021). A lipid-anchored neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist prolongs pain relief by a three-pronged mechanism of action targeting the receptor at the plasma membrane and in endosomes. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 296, Article 100345. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.JBC.2021.100345

G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are traditionally known for signaling at the plasma membrane, but they can also signal from endosomes after internalization to control important pathophysiological processes. In spinal neurons, sustained endosomal... Read More about A lipid-anchored neurokinin 1 receptor antagonist prolongs pain relief by a three-pronged mechanism of action targeting the receptor at the plasma membrane and in endosomes.