The Third Histamine Receptor

Reveals an Emerging Avenue of Potential Treatments for a Host of Challenging Diseases and Disorders The H3 receptor is known to play a major role in a range of CNS disorders, including those affecting cognitive functions such as ADHD and Alzheimer’s disease, as well as sleep disorders, obesity, epilepsy, schizophrenia, depression, and neurodegeneration. In light of dramatic advances in research at the molecular level, supported by impressive clinical studies, optimism remains high that an H3 receptor-related drug could hit the market soon. The Third Histamine Receptor: Selective Ligands as Potential Therapeutic Agents in CNS Disorders provides a thorough grounding in advances made over the last two decades. It brings together an elite group of 30 pioneering researchers. In writing about their own work, these scientists report on the cutting-edge investigations that are now being conducted across a variety of disciplines. This text is designed to aid researchers and inform those involved in the treatment and clinical aspects of a number of histamine-related diseases. Presents Several Disease-Specific Chapters Certainly, the most comprehensive and cutting-edge volume in the field, this text includes material drawn from groundbreaking research techniques and patent literature. Put together with great thought and passion, it is written to serve as a primary resource for anyone involved with or interested in the identification and localization of H3 receptors and the ligands being developed as therapeutic agents to treat a wide range of diseases including some that were once considered intractable.

A comprehensive and detailed overview of the current state of preclinical research on histamine and histamine receptors. Part of the book focuses on novel approaches to the study of histamine receptors such as polymorphism, genetic linkage, and computational analysis, and on the use of new histaminergic ligands in diseases such as asthma and dermatitis. Several chapters will be devoted to the role of histamine in the control of homeostatic and behavioral responses such as the sleep-wake cycle, regulation of the blood brain barrier, food intake, alertness, itch, and memory formation and consolidation.

Written by the foremost authority in the field, this volume is a comprehensive review of the multifaceted phenomenon of hepatotoxicity. Dr. Zimmerman examines the interface between chemicals and the liver; the latest research in experimental hepatotoxicology; the hepatotoxic risks of household, industrial, and environmental chemicals; and the adverse effects of drugs on the liver. This thoroughly revised, updated Second Edition features a greatly expanded section on the wide variety of drugs that can cause liver injury. For quick reference, an appendix lists these medications and their associated hepatic injuries. Also included are in-depth discussions of drug metabolism and factors affecting susceptibility to liver injury.

This book illustrates the current state-of-the-art in histamine research, with a focus on the appropriate methodologies to investigate the pharmacological properties and the therapeutic exploitation of HRs and their ligands. In addition, the range of techniques described provides an introduction to complementary cross-methodological disciplines beyond these fields. This multi-disciplinary approach is required to define the ‘decision gates’ that determine the development of more effective and safer therapeutic options for many forms of highly prevalent and debilitating diseases, such as asthma, dementias, dermatitis, and arthritis. Written for the Methods in Pharmacology and Toxicology series, chapters concentrate on practical, hands-on protocols from experts in the techniques. Authoritative and thorough, Histamine Receptors as Drug Targets seeks to aid pharmacologists, biochemists, drug discovery researchers, molecular biologists, chemists, toxicologists, lab scientists, medical doctors, principle investigators, research scientists, lab directors and technicians, as well as graduate students around the world in pursuing the study of this vital scientific area.

Research in the field of histamine receptors over the past 100 years went hand-in-hand with the development of modern pharmacology. Advances in histamine research led by outstanding scientists was so incisive that the clinical approach to treat allergies and gastrointestinal ailments was revolutionized. The pharmacological treatment of peptic ulcer and gastroesophageal reflux was indeed a revolution, as it ended the surgical intervention. Interest in histamine pharmacology was resurrected by the discovery of another histamine receptor, number 4, using genomics-based reverse pharmacological approaches for screening orphan GPCRs. This receptor is preferentially expressed by immune cells and its discovery raised hopes for its translational exploitation as a new therapeutic target for unmet medical needs ranging from asthma to cancer. However, several drawbacks emerged and dramatically slowed down research in the field. A better understanding of receptor intra-and interspecies heterogeneity will certainly improve and accelerate the translation of experimental data into clinical practice. Also, the plethora of data on brain histamine is hinting at a fundamental role of this system as a hub that receives internal and peripheral stimuli to allocate the necessary excitation to specific brain circuits that preside the appropriate behavioral responses. The development of new histaminergic ligands is an ongoing process that constantly provide new preclinical tools. The aim of this book is to cover the most important aspects of histamine receptor function and pharmacology in the central nervous system and to provide a comprehensive overview of the preclinical and clinical advances made in recent decades and the exciting prospects for the future. It highlights the clinical areas where there is a great need for new therapeutic approaches and where novel histaminergic agents may be useful for personalized medicine.

Brain aminergic pathways are organized in parallel and interacting systems, which support a range of functions, from homoeostatic regulations to cognitive, and motivational processes. Despite overlapping functional influences, dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline and histamine systems provide different contributions to these processes. The histaminergic system, long ignored as a major regulator of the sleep-wake cycle, has now been fully acknowledged also as a major coordinator of attention, learning and memory, decision making. Although histaminergic neurons project widely to the whole brain, they are functionally heterogeneous, a feature which may provide the substrate for differential regulation, in a region-specific manner, of other neurotransmitter systems. Neurochemical preclinical studies have clearly shown that histamine interacts and modulates the release of neurotransmitters that are recognized as major modulators of cognitive processing and motivated behaviours. As a consequence, the histamine system has been proposed as a therapeutic target to treat sleep-wake disorders and cognitive dysfunctions that accompany neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory pathologies. Last decades have witnessed an unexpected explosion of interest in brain histamine system, as new receptors have been discovered and selective ligands synthesised. Nevertheless, the complete picture of the histamine systems fine-tuning and its orchestration with other pathways remains rather elusive. This Research Topic is intended to offer an inter-disciplinary forum that will improve our current understanding of the role of brain histamine and provide the fundamentals necessary to drive innovation in clinical practice and to improve the management and treatment of neurological disorders.

H4 R is the newest member of the histamine receptor family, which was discovered about twelve years ago. It is considered a very promising drug target. The effort to improve the pharmacokinetic properties of the currently available H4 R ligands is reflected in a steadily growing number of scientific publications and patent applications. Preclinical data strongly confirms the need for novel potent H4 R ligands to explore their therapeutic value in allergy, inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and possibly, cancer. Readers will be provided with extensive knowledge on histamine metabolism, as well as cellular histamine transport, storage and release, effects of histamine and histamine receptor ligands, with particular attention to the H4 R, on inflammatory cells including mast cells, basophils, eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages, dendritic cells, and T cells. The present knowledge on the regulatory role of histamine and the therapeutic exploitation of histamine receptor ligands in atopic diseases, with emphasis on human and animal models of asthma, allergic dermatitis and pruritus are discussed.

Synthesizes the latest information and research involving the pharmacochemistry, biochemical properties and neurobiological function of histamine receptors. Contains over 50 illustrations.