Cannabidiol Analogue CIAC001 for the Treatment of Morphine-Induced Addiction by Targeting PKM2

J Med Chem. 2023 Aug 24;66(16):11498-11516. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01029. Epub 2023 Aug 2.

Abstract

Opioid addiction is a chronically relapsing disorder that causes critical public health problems. Currently, there is a lack of effective drug treatment. Herein, one cannabidiol derivative, CIAC001, was discovered as an effective agent for treating morphine-induced addiction. In vitro, CIAC001 exhibited significantly improved anti-neuroinflammatory activity with lower toxicity. In vivo, CIAC001 ameliorated the morphine-induced withdrawal reaction, behavioral sensitization, and conditional position preference by inhibiting morphine-induced microglia activation and neuroinflammation. Target fishing for CIAC001 by activity-based protein profiling led to the identification of pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2) as the target protein. CIAC001 bound to the protein-protein interface of the PKM2 dimer and promoted the tetramerization of PKM2. Moreover, CIAC001 exhibited an anti-neuroinflammatory effect by reversing the decrease of the PKM2 tetramer and inhibiting the nuclear translocation of PKM2. In summary, this study identified CIAC001 as a lead compound in targeting PKM2 to treat morphine-induced addiction.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cannabidiol*
  • Morphine Derivatives
  • Protein Transport
  • Pyruvate Kinase* / metabolism

Substances

  • Pyruvate Kinase
  • Cannabidiol
  • Morphine Derivatives