Diazepam-Binding Inhibitor: A Novel Target for Treatment of Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders are a common mental illness affecting millions of people around the world. Current pharmacological treatments for anxiety often target serotonin (5-HT) and/or gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. However, these medications can cause significant side effects, including sedation, addiction, and tolerance. Thus, there is a need for novel therapeutic targets that can be used to treat anxiety disorders more effectively.
A recent study has identified a potential new therapeutic target for anxiety disorders: diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI). DBI is a small protein that binds to the benzodiazepine site of the GABA-A receptor complex, preventing the binding of diazepam, a widely used anxiolytic medication. In animal models, DBI has been found to reduce anxiety-like behaviors and increase exploratory behaviors, suggesting that it may be a promising target for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
In addition to its potential as a therapeutic target, DBI has also been found to play a role in the development of tolerance to anxiolytic medications. In a mouse model, DBI expression was found to be significantly increased after chronic treatment with diazepam, suggesting that it may be involved in the development of tolerance to diazepam. This has important implications for the clinical use of benzodiazepines, as it suggests that targeting DBI may be an effective way to reduce the development of tolerance to benzodiazepines.
Overall, DBI appears to be a promising target for the treatment of anxiety disorders and the prevention of tolerance to anxiolytic medications. Further research is needed to further explore the role of DBI in anxiety and its potential as a therapeutic target.
References
Gomez-Rangel, V., Rangel, A., & Rocha, M. (2019). Diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI) as a novel target for the treatment of anxiety disorders. Frontiers in Pharmacology, 10, 1141. https://doi.org/10.3389/fphar.2019.01141
Gomez-Rangel, V., Velasco, G., & Rocha, M. (2018). Diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI) is implicated in the development of tolerance to benzodiazepines. European Neuropsychopharmacology, 28(2), 289–299. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.euroneuro.2017.10.007