Optical control of pain <i>in vivo</i> with a photoactive mGlu<sub>5</sub> receptor negative allosteric modulator.

Font, Joan; López-Cano, Marc; Notartomaso, Serena; Scarselli, Pamela; Di Pietro, Paola; Bresolí-Obach, Roger; Battaglia, Giuseppe; Malhaire, Fanny et al. · Elife · 2017

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

Light-operated drugs constitute a major target in drug discovery, since they may provide spatiotemporal resolution for the treatment of complex diseases (i.e. chronic pain). JF-NP-26 is an inactive photocaged derivative of the metabotropic glutamate type 5 (mGlu<sub>5</sub>) receptor negative allosteric modulator raseglurant. Violet light illumination of JF-NP-26 induces a photochemical reaction prompting the active-drug's release, which effectively controls mGlu<sub>5</sub> receptor activity both in ectopic expressing systems and in striatal primary neurons. Systemic administration in mice followed by local light-emitting diode (LED)-based illumination, either of the thalamus or the peripheral tissues, induced JF-NP-26-mediated light-dependent analgesia both in neuropathic and in acute/tonic inflammatory pain models. These data offer the first example of optical control of analgesia <i>in vivo</i> using a photocaged mGlu<sub>5</sub> receptor negative allosteric modulator. This approach shows potential for precisely targeting, in time and space, endogenous receptors, which may allow a better management of difficult-to-treat disorders.

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