CNS tolerance to the hypnotic effect of pentobarbital in rats by injections of pentobarbital suspension.

Functional (CNS) tolerance to the hypnotic effect of barbiturates was determined in vivo by comparing the brain barbiturate level at awakening from a test dose in control rats and rats chronically treated with barbiturate. Approximately two-fold CNS tolerance to barbital was achieved by giving rats increasing concentrations of barbital in their drinking water according to trie schedule of Morgan, Pfeil and Gonzales (1977), but the tolerance was lost after the three days of withdrawal necessary to eliminate the drug from the brain. No significant CNS tolerance to the hypnotic effect of pentobarbital was developed when it was administered in the rats' food or water on various schedules. Administration of pentobarbital by daily injections of the drug in suspension, however, resulted in approximately 1.5-fold CNS tolerance to the hypnotic effect of this barbiturate in 5–10 days. Barbiturates in vitro inhibit K-stimulated ACh release from brain slices; the degree of inhibition by pentobarbital in vitro was not changed after chronic pentobarbital suspension injections in vivo.     

Actions of pentobarbital enantiomers on nicotinic cholinergic receptors

The enantiomers of pentobarbital had four different actions on the nicotinic receptor-rich membranes from Torpedo electroplaques. (i) Both inhibited cholinergically stimulated cation flux through the receptor's channel, with IC50 values of approximately 25 microM and extremely weak stereoselectivity. (ii) (R)-(+)-[14C]Pentobarbital bound to a saturable site with an apparent dissociation constant of 100 microM, a Hill coefficient of 1.2, and a stoichiometry of 1:1 with the acetylcholine binding sites. (S)-(-)-Pentobarbital also displaced (+)-[14C]pentobarbital but its IC50 was 4-fold higher than that of the (+)-enantiomer under the same conditions. (iii) Both enantiomers caused a stereoselective allosteric inhibition of [3H]acetylcholine binding, which occurred over the same concentration range and with the same stereoselectivity as barbiturate binding. (iv) Above 1 mM, pentobarbital caused an unexpected and sudden increase in [3H]acetylcholine binding, which lacked significant stereoselectivity. These results are consistent with a model where low concentrations of pentobarbital act on the receptor by binding to allosteric sites that have higher affinity but lower stereoselectivity for the open channel conformation than for the resting conformation, whereas the highest concentrations of pentobarbital act by nonspecific mechanisms mediated by general membrane perturbations.     

Naloxone-sensitive and GABAA receptor mediated analgesic response of benzodiazepines in mice

Various benzodiazepines (BZs) were investigated for their analgesic effect by the tail-flick method in mice. Central type BZ-receptor agonists such as clonazepam, chlordiazepoxide and diazepam showed analgesia while the peripheral BZ-receptor binding agent, Ro 5-4864, and the BZ micromolar binding agent phenytoin, failed to show any effect. Other BZs, such as lorazepam and nitrazepam, were ineffective in producing analgesia. Pretreatment with naloxone antagonized the analgesic effect of central type BZ-receptor agonists. Similarly, pretreatment with Ro 15-1788, a central BZ-receptor antagonist, also blocked the analgesic effect. When the involvement of the GABAergic system in the analgesic response of BZ agonists was investigated, a potentiation of BZ action was seen as a combination of a subeffective dose of clonazepam with a subanalgesic dose of muscimol, a specific GABAA agonist, showed an enhanced effect. Moreover, pretreatment with GABAergic substances like pentobarbitone also showed a facilitatory effect on BZ-induced analgesia. On the other hand, a combination of clonazepam with baclofen, a specific GABAB agonist, failed to show any synergistic effect. The analgesic effect of central type BZ-receptor agonists was found to be bicuculline reversible. It is concluded that GABAA receptor activation has a modulatory role in the naloxone sensitive analgesic effect of central type BZ-receptor agonists.     

Behavioural effects of novel benzodiazepine (omega) receptor agonists and partial agonists: increases in punished responding and antagonism of the pentylenetetrazole cue

In recent years a number of novel compounds have been described with affinity and specificity for BZ (omega) receptors. While some of these agents appear to act, like benzodiazepines themselves, as full agonists at different receptor subtypes (e.g. suriclone), several non-selective partial agonists (e.g. bretazenil) have been described, as have a number of BZ(1) (omega(1)) selective drugs (e.g. zolpidem). Previous work has reported a number of differences between the behavioural effects of some of these drugs and those of benzodiazepines; however, very few studies have attempted systematic comparisons of a large number of drugs in different procedures. In the present study a wide range of BZ (omega) receptor ligands was studied using two behavioural methods in rats: unpunished and punished food-reinforced operant responding and the discriminative stimulus effects of pentylenetetrazole. Punished operant responding showed increases with the benzodiazepines, chlordiazepoxide and clorazepate, the non-benzodiazepines, saripidem, CL 273,547 and F 2692 (limited effect at a single dose) and the partial agonists bretazenil and Ro 19-8022, but the BZ(1) selective agents, alpidem, abecarnil and CL 284,846, did not increase rates of punished operant responding. Rates of unpunished responding were decreased by higher doses of all drugs except bretazenil and Ro 19-8022. Dose-related antagonism of the pentylenetetrazole (18mg/kg) discriminative stimulus was produced by several benzodiazepines, by the partial agonists bretazenil, Ro 19-8022 and divaplon, and by suriclone, saripidem and CL 273,547. The BZ(1) (omega(1)) selective drugs abecarnil, CL 284,846, zolpidem, CL 218,872 and alpidem were also active in blocking pentylenetetrazole but produced only partial antagonism which was not clearly dose-related. The results show that novel BZ (omega) receptor ligands do not always produce a behavioural profile identical to that shown by benzodiazepines. In particular, BZ(1) (omega(1)) selective drugs do not give rise to clear increases in punished operant responding and have only limited efficacy in blocking the pentylenetetrazole cue. These effects may be due to the marked propensity of BZ(1) (omega(1)) selective drugs to decrease operant response rates.     

Anti-depressant action of melatonin in chronic forced swimming-induced behavioral despair in mice, role of peripheral benzodiazepine receptor modulation

The possible antidepressant effect of physiological and pharmacological doses of melatonin was investigated in the Porsolt forced swimming-induced behavioral despair test. The duration of immobility period of BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice during a 6-min swim test was measured at noon (11:00–12:00 h), early dark (20:00–21:00 h) and at midnight (1:00–2:00 h), respectively. The circadian time cycle did not alter the duration of immobility in either strains of mice. Similarly, exogenously administered melatonin (10–1000 μg/kg50 nM to 5 μM/mouse), a dose that could act on high affinity melatonin receptors, did not modify the duration of immobility period at any of the time intervals studied in either strains of the mice. This suggested that neither circadian variation influenced the duration of immobility period of BALB/c and C57BL/6J mice nor at physiological doses melatonin showed any anti-depressant action. Acute administration of higher doses of melatonin (2.5–10 mg/kg) failed to induce any anti-depressant activity in mice which were subjected to forced swimming test for the first time. However, daily administration of melatonin (2.5–10 mg/kg) prior to swimming test significantly reversed the increase in immobility period that was observed on chronic exposure to swimming test. This effect was comparable with the effect of GABA-benzodiazepine (BZ) receptor agonists. Similarly, like GABAergic drugs, acute administration of melatonin also showed anti-depressant activity in a mice which were exposed to chronic forced swimming test. The anti-depressant action of melatonin was sensitive to reversal by peripheral BZ receptor antagonist, PK11195. Whereas, flumazenil failed to reverse the anti-depressant action of melatonin, thereby suggesting that central BZ receptor were not involved in its action. In conclusion the study showed that at pharmacological doses melatonin has anti-depressant action in chronic forced swimming-induced despair behavior by an action involving peripheral BZ receptors.     

Affinity of various compounds for benzodiazepine binding sites in rat brain, heart and kidneys in vitro

Binding of several psychoactive, antiinflammatory, antihypertensive, and antiarrhythmic drugs to central and peripheral benzodiazepine (BZ) binding sites was studied in the brain, heart and kidneys of rats. Diazepam exhibited the highest affinity for all binding sites (Ki values at 0.01 microM level); another 1,4-BZ, oxazepam, had markedly lower affinity for peripheral binding sites (Ki 21-37 microM). Non-BZ compounds had low affinity for central BZ receptors; proquazone was the most potent (Ki 9.5 microM). The affinities of non-BZ compounds were higher for peripheral BZ binding sites. The Ki value for proquazone was approximately 0.1 microM; and many other antiinflammatory agents, and the vasodilators cyclandelate and nifedipine, produced Ki values in the micromolar level. beta-Blocking drugs, and several other antihypertensive and antiarrhythmic agents lacked affinity for both central and peripheral BZ binding sites. According to the results, the affinity for peripheral binding sites is independent of an affinity for central BZ receptors. Non-BZ compounds that bound to brain BZ receptors bound with equal affinity to both BZ1 and BZ2 subgroups of receptors. The compounds with affinity for peripheral BZ binding sites did not select between heart and kidneys, which suggests that these organs have similar binding sites. The role of the peripheral BZ binding sites has not yet been established. The findings of this study allow the selection of a more varied group of ligands to be used when investigating the physiological significance of these binding sites.     

Inhibition of cardiac potassium currents by pentobarbital

The inhibitory effects of the anesthetic barbiturate pentobarbital on the slow ( I(Ks)) and fast component ( I(Kr)) of cardiac delayed rectifier potassium currents ( I(K)) and on the inward rectifier potassium currents ( I(K1)) were examined in Xenopus oocytes expressing the human minK, human ether-á-go-go related gene (HERG) and guinea pig Kir2.2, respectively. Block of native I(K) ( I(Ks) and I(Kr)) and inward rectifier potassium current ( I(K1)) by pentobarbital was examined in guinea pig ventricular myocytes.In oocytes using the two electrode voltage clamp technique potassium currents of hminK-, HERG- and Kir2.2-expressing oocytes were inhibited by pentobarbital with IC50 values of 0.20, 1.58 and 0.54 mM, respectively. I(Ks) block was time- and voltage-independent and had no influence on activation at positive voltages although it shifted voltage-dependent activation to more positive voltages. Pentobarbital-induced HERG inhibition was not dependent on voltage but influenced the deactivation kinetics and shifted half-maximal activation to more negative voltages. In guinea pig cardiomyocytes, using the patch clamp technique, I(Ks) and I(Kr) were inhibited by pentobarbital with IC50 values of 0.18 mM and 2.75 mM, respectively. I(Kr) deactivation and I(Ks) activation kinetics were only slightly influenced by pentobarbital, if at all. Block of I(K1) was weakly voltage-dependent with IC(50) values of 0.26 mM (-40 mV) and 0.91 mM (-120 mV). The data show that pentobarbital suppresses both cloned ( I(K), I(Kir2.2)) and native ( I(K), I(K1)) cardiac potassium currents with the highest affinity for I(Ks).     

Mechanisms of anabolic androgenic steroid modulation of alpha(1)beta(3)gamma(2L) GABA(A) receptors

Modulation of GABA(A) receptors induced by both anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) and the benzodiazepine (BZ) site agonist, zolpidem, show equivalent dependence upon gamma subunit composition suggesting that both compounds may be acting at a shared allosteric site. Here we have characterized modulation induced by the AAS, 17alpha-methyltestosterone (17alpha-MeT), for responses elicited from alpha(1)beta(3)gamma(2L) GABA(A) receptors and compared it to modulation induced by the BZ site agonists, zolpidem and diazepam. For responses elicited by brief pulses of 20 microM GABA, both the AAS and the BZ site compounds significantly increased the peak current amplitudes and total charge transfer, although 17alpha-MeT was an appreciably weaker agonist than either diazepam or zolpidem at alpha(1)beta(3)gamma(2L) receptors. Neither class of modulator enhanced peak current amplitudes for responses elicited by mM concentrations of GABA. BZ site compounds altered time constants of deactivation, desensitization, and recovery from desensitization, however 17alpha-MeT had no overall effect on these parameters. Experiments in which 17alpha-MeT and BZ site ligands were applied concomitantly indicated that potentiation elicited by 17alpha-MeT and zolpidem were additive and that potentiation by 17alpha-MeT could be elicited in the presence of concentrations of flumazenil that blocked BZ potentiation. Finally, kinetic modeling suggests that while effects of 17alpha-MeT can be simulated by altering receptor affinity, the data for these alpha(1)beta(3)gamma(2L) receptors were best fitted by simulations in which 17alpha-MeT increases transitions into the singly liganded open state. Taken together, our results suggest that 17alpha-MeT does not act at the high-affinity BZ site, but may elicit some of its effects at the low affinity BZ site or at a novel site.     

The negative GABAA modulator methyl β-carboline-3-carboxylate attenuates the behavioral effects of the positive GABAA modulators triazolam and pregnanolone in rhesus monkeys

RATIONALE: Many of the effects of benzodiazepines (BZs), barbiturates, and neuroactive steroids are mediated by the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)(A) receptor complex. OBJECTIVES: This study tested the hypothesis that negative GABA(A) modulators attenuate the behavioral effects of different positive GABA(A) modulators that vary in their site of action on the receptor complex. METHODS: Rhesus monkeys responding under a multiple fixed ratio (FR:FR) schedule of food presentation and stimulus-shock termination received GABA(A) modulators under cumulative dosing procedures. RESULTS: The BZ site negative GABA(A) modulator methyl beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (beta-CCM), and not the BZ site neutral modulator flumazenil, decreased FR responding under the multiple schedule. FR responding was also decreased by positive modulators, including the BZ triazolam, the neuroactive steroid pregnanolone, and the barbiturate pentobarbital in that order of potency. beta-CCM, and not flumazenil, antagonized pregnanolone, suggesting that pregnanolone increased GABA-mediated chloride flux at a non-BZ site. beta-CCM antagonized triazolam with the slope of the Schild plot for beta-CCM and triazolam (food component) conforming to unity and yielding a pA2 value of 6.44. The effects of pentobarbital were not altered by beta-CCM, suggesting that barbiturates might act at a population of GABA(A) receptors different from those where neuroactive steroids and BZs act, or that barbiturate site positive GABA(A) modulators are not amenable to modulation by negative modulators. CONCLUSIONS: These results confirm a competitive interaction between beta-CCM and triazolam, and further demonstrate that the effects of neuroactive steroids on FR responding are attenuated by a BZ site negative GABA(A) modulator. Negative GABA(A) modulators might prove especially useful for characterizing important differences among positive GABA(A) modulators that act through different sites on the receptor complex.     

Simple validated method of LC–MS/MS determination of BZ agent in rat plasma samples

Agent BZ (3‐quinuclidinyl benzilate) is a centrally acting synthetic anticholinergic agent, considered as a potential military incapacitating chemical warfare agent. Despite its significance as a model compound in pharmacological research and its potential misuse in chemical attacks, few modern analytical methods for BZ determination in biological samples have been published. The goal of the present work is to develop and validate a sensitive and rapid LC–MS/MS method for the determination of agent BZ in rat plasma. The sample preparation was based on solid‐phase extraction on C‐18 cartridges. The reversed‐phase HPLC coupled with the mass spectrometer with electrospray ionization in the positive ion‐selective reaction monitoring mode was employed in the BZ analysis. Atropine was used as an internal standard. The presented method is selective, accurate, precise, and linear (r² = 0.9947) in a concentration range from 0.5 ng/mL to 1 000 ng/mL and sensitive enough (limit of detection 0.2 ng/mL; limit of quantification 0.5 ng/mL) to determine the BZ plasma levels in rats exposed to 2 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg of BZ. The highest level of BZ in plasma was observed 5 minutes after intramuscular administration (154.6 ± 22.3 ng/mL in rats exposed to 2 mg/kg of BZ and 1024 ± 269 ng/mL in rats exposed to 10 mg/kg). After 48 h, no BZ was observed at detectable levels. This new method allows the detection and quantification of BZ in biological samples after exposure of an observed organism and it will be further optimized for other tissues to observe the distribution of BZ in organs.     

应用m_5AChR-G_(11α)融合蛋白鉴别M_5受体亚型的特异性药物

目的采用Sf9细胞系统表达m5AChRG11α融合蛋白,通过检测GDP与m5AChRG11α融合蛋白的亲和力大小来鉴别m5AChR的特异性激动剂和拮抗剂。方法用两步PCR反应重组m5AChRG11α融合蛋白cDNAs,并插入到pBacPAK9病毒载体中,利用Sf9细胞表达m5AChR受体蛋白和m5AChRG11α融合蛋白,通过[3H]QNB结合饱和实验及[35S]GTPγS竞争性替代结合实验,检测受体表达水平及GDP与m5AChRG11α融合蛋白的亲和力。结果m5AChRG11α融合蛋白表达水平是(47.6±3.2)nmol·g-1膜蛋白。不同配体的存在使融合蛋白中G11α与GDP的亲和力发生变化。ACh、YM796、Oxotremorine、Methixene、Dextimide及atropine存在以及无配体存在时,GDP的IC50值分别是128.0,72.1,68.5,16.2,14.9,9.7和20.8μmol·L-1。结论Sf9细胞系统表达的m5AChRG11α融合蛋白具备M受体配体结合的特性和组分间偶联功能。m5AChRG11α融合蛋白对GDP的亲和性决定于M受体配体的性质。对于m5AChRG11α融合蛋白,ACh是m5AChR完全激动剂,YM796和Oxotremorine是部分激动剂;atropine,Methixene和Dextimide是拮抗剂。     

Evaluation of the β-carboline ZK 93 426 as a benzodiazepine receptor antagonist

We describe here biochemical and pharmacological effects of the -carboline ZK 93426, a new and potent benzodiazepine (BZ) receptor antagonist. ZK 93426 was compared with Ro 15-1788 and CGS 8216, two compounds previously described as BZ receptor antagonists. Certain effects of ZK 93426, Ro 15-1788 and CGS 8216 were quite similar (e.g., ³H-FNM displacement, GABA ratio, photo-shift). In most pharmacological tests ZK 93426 and Ro 15-1788 lacked overt effects; Ro 15-1788 was a weak agonist in some paradigms, while ZK 93426 exhibited a potent proconflict effect but also a weak anticonvulsant effect. This interesting finding with ZK 93426 suggests that BZ receptor ligands may possess differential efficacy at BZ receptor subtypes. In contrast, CGS 8216 exhibited potent proconvulsant effects in several paradigms in addition to proconflict and pentylenetetrazol generalizing effects. ZK 93426, Ro 15-1788 and CGS 8216 were almost equally potent as antagonists of the effects of BZ receptor agonists, such as diazepam and lorazepam. However, ZK 93426 was the most potent inhibitor of the convulsions produced by the BZ receptor inverse agonist DMCM.     

Effects of anaesthetics on protein synthesis in isolated rat hepatocytes: inhibition by diethyl ether in contrast to no influence by pentobarbital and fentanyl

Hepatocytes were isolated from livers of fasted rats by a two-step Ca++-free/collagenase perfusion method. Suspensions of parenchymal liver cells were incubated in the absence and presence of three different anaesthetics, diethyl ether, pentobarbital and fentanyl at various concentrations. Their influence on the hepatocytes was monitored by measuring protein synthesis as the incorporation of L-(U-14C) valine (50 mCi/mol, 4.2 mM) into liver proteins. Diethyl ether representing anaesthetics mainly affecting cellular membranes unspecifically, inhibited protein synthesis markedly, concentrations of approximately 10, 20 and 30 mM caused 27, 50 and 74 per cent inhibition respectively, of cellular protein synthesis. The rate of synthesis process of these proteins or that ether also inhibited protein secretion from cells to media. The effect of diethyl ether was completely reversible when the anaesthetic was removed by changing the medium. Pentobarbital representing barbiturate anaesthetics, reduced the synthesis of cell and medium proteins very little, while the opiate anaesthetic fentanyl had no inhibitory effect. These results demonstrate a potential hepatotoxic mechanism for membrane active drugs like diethyl ether. They also indicate that special precautions should be taken when this type of anaesthesia is used during the study of hepatic protein synthesis.     

Two different modes of action of pentobarbital at glycine receptor channels

Glycine receptor channels are pentameric ligand-gated ion channels which respond to the binding of inhibitory transmitters by opening of a chloride-selective central pore. Pentobarbital is widely used as an anticonvulsive, hypnotic and anaesthetic drug. In the present study, the interaction between pentobarbital and glycine receptor channels was studied on outside-out patches of human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells expressing alpha(1)beta glycine receptor channels. Currents elicited by 0.03 mM glycine were enhanced by pentobarbital showing potentiation of alpha(1)beta glycine receptor channels. In the presence of 1 mM glycine+pentobarbital (1 and 3 mM), desensitization was faster and the peak current amplitude decreased. After the end of glycine+pentobarbital pulses, off-currents occurred suggestive for a channel block mechanism. Pentobarbital had no agonistic effects at glycine receptor channels.     

Anticonvulsants but not general anesthetics have differential blocking effects on different T-type current variants

The sensitivity to anticonvulsants and anesthetics of Ca(2+) currents arising from alpha1G and alpha1H subunits was examined in stably transfected HEK293 cells. For comparison, in some cases blocking effects on dorsal root ganglion (DRG) T currents were also examined under identical ionic conditions. The anticonvulsant, phenytoin, which partially blocks DRG T current, blocked alpha1G current completely but with weaker affinity ( approximately 140 microM). Among different cells, alpha1H current exhibited either of two responses to phenytoin. In one subpopulation of cells, phenytoin produced a partial, higher affinity block (IC(50) approximately 7.2 microM, maximum block approximately 43%) similar to that in DRG neurons. In other cells, phenytoin produced complete, but lower affinity, blockade (IC(50) approximately 138 microM, maximum block approximately 89%). Another anticonvulsant, alpha-methyl-alpha-phenylsuccinimide (MPS), blocked DRG current partially, but blocked both alpha1G and alpha1H currents completely with weaker affinity ( approximately 1.7 mM). These data suggest that higher affinity blockade of T-type currents by phenytoin and MPS may require additional regulatory factors that can contribute to native T-type channels. In contrast, anesthetics blocked all T current variants similarly and completely. Block of alpha1G current by anesthetics had the following order of potency: propofol (IC(50) approximately 20.5 microM) > etomidate ( approximately 161 microM) = octanol ( approximately 160 microM) > isoflurane ( approximately 277 microM) > ketamine ( approximately 1.2 mM), comparable with results on DRG T currents. Barbiturates completly blocked alpha1G currents with potency [thiopental ( approximately 280 microM), pentobarbital ( approximately 310 microM), phenobarbital ( approximately 1.54 mM)] similar to that in DRG cells. The effects of propofol, octanol, and pentobarbital on alpha1H currents were indistinguishable from effects on alpha1G currents.     

The inhibitory effect of endogenous convulsants quinolinic acid and kynurenine on the pentobarbital stimulation of [3H]flunitrazepam binding

The metabolites of tryptophan-kynurenines with convulsant action quinolinic acid (QA) and l-kynurenine (l-KYN) antagonized the enhancing effect of pentobarbital (1 mM) on [³H]flunitrazepam binding. IC₅₀ for l-KYN were 35.9±14.8 μM and for QA 31.2±7.2 μM respectively. The inhibitory effect of KYN was stereoselective: IC₅₀ of l-isomer was about two fold lower than IC₅₀ of racemic form, d,l-KYN. Scatchard analysis revealed that inhibitory effect of QA and l-KYN on [³H]Flunitrazepam binding enhanced by pentobarbital is due to the decrease in affinity of benzodiazepine receptors. On the basis of these data it is proposed that QA and l-KYN possess their convulsant action interacting with barbiturate/picrotoxin sensitive sites of GABA-benzodiazepine-barbiturate complex.     

Modification of pyrazoloquinolinone affinity by GABA predicts efficacy at the benzodiazepine receptor

A series of pyrazoloquinolinones CGS 9896, CGS 9895 and CGS 8216 have been reported to exhibit agonist, partial agonist and antagonist properties, respectively, at the benzodiazepine receptor. We have examined the effects of these compounds and of diazepam on pentylenetetrazole seizure thresholds in mice and found CGS 9896 to be a partial agonist and CGS 8216 a weak inverse agonist in this respect; CGS 9895 was essentially devoid of efficacy. In the presence of 100 microM GABA and 150 mM NaCl, the affinity of CGS 9896 for the benzodiazepine receptor at 37 degrees C was significantly increased whereas the affinity of CGS 8216 was similarly decreased and that of CGS 9895 was unchanged. The effect of GABA on the affinity of these ligands for the benzodiazepine receptor at 37 degrees C was thus predictive of the pharmacological efficacy which we observed.     

Interaction of barbiturate analogs with the Torpedo californica nicotinic acetylcholine receptor ion channel

Barbiturate-induced anesthesia is a complex mechanism that probably involves several ligand-gated ion channel superfamilies. One of these superfamilies includes the archetypical nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR), in which barbiturates act as noncompetitive antagonists. In this regard, we used the Torpedo californica nAChR and a series of barbiturate analogs to characterize the barbiturate binding site(s) on this superfamily member. [(14)C]Amobarbital binds to one high-affinity (K(d) = 3.7 microM) and several (approximately 11) low-affinity (K(d) = 930 microM) sites on the resting and desensitized nAChRs, respectively. Characteristics of the barbiturate binding site on the resting nAChR include: (1) a tight structure-activity relationship. For example, the barbiturate isobarbital [5-ethyl-5'-(2-methylbutyl) barbituric acid] is >10-fold less potent than its formula isomer amobarbital [5-ethyl-5'-(3-methylbutyl) barbituric acid] in inhibiting [(14)C]amobarbital binding. (2) A binding locus within the pore of the nAChR ion channel. Each of the barbiturate analogs inhibited the binding of [(3)H]tetracaine or photoincorporation of 3-trifluoromethyl-3-(m-[(125)I]iodophenyl) diazirine in a mutually exclusive manner. (3) Stereoselective binding. The R(+)-enantiomers of isobarbital and pentobarbital are approximately 2-fold more potent in inhibiting 3-trifluoromethyl-3-(m-[(125)I]iodophenyl) diazirine photoincorporation than the S(-)-enantiomers. Finally, molecular modeling suggests that within the channel, the pyrimidine ring of the barbiturate is located just above the highly conserved leucine ring (M2--9; e.g., delta Leu-265), whereas the 5' side chain projects downward, and depending upon its conformation, introduces steric hindrance to binding because of the restriction in the lumen of the channel introduced by the leucine side chains.     

Stereotypic behaviors in mice selectively bred for high and low methamphetamine-induced stereotypic chewing

RATIONALE: Triazolam is a high-efficacy benzodiazepine (BZ) agonist, which might be hypothesized to engender highly pharmacologically specific discriminative stimulus (DS) effects and distinguish among BZ agonists with different intrinsic efficacy. OBJECTIVES: The pharmacological specificity of the triazolam stimulus was determined by examining the effects of conventional and atypical BZ agonists, and other ligands active at the gamma-aminobutyric acidA (GABAA) receptor complex. Receptor mechanisms underlying the DS effects of triazolam were examined further using the BZ receptor antagonist flumazenil. METHODS AND RESULTS: Squirrel monkeys were trained to discriminate triazolam (0.03 mg/kg, i.v.) from vehicle under a fixed-ratio 10 (FR 10) schedule of food reinforcement. While the BZ agonists midazolam, diazepam, and lorazepam substituted fully for triazolam, chlordiazepoxide, oxazepam and nordiazepam produced only partial substitution, suggesting these latter compounds may have reduced intrinsic efficacy. The BZ/alpha1-preferring agonist zolpidem substituted fully for triazolam, and potencies for triazolam-like effects of BZ agonists were significantly correlated with potencies for their zolpidem-like effects (Rowlett et al. 1999). Flumazenil antagonized the DS effects of triazolam, but the slope of the Schild plot was significantly different from unity, suggesting multiple receptors may be involved in the DS effects of triazolam. CONCLUSIONS: BZ agonists can be distinguished on the basis of substitution for triazolam and, thus, the triazolam discrimination may be a useful tool for identifying compounds of different efficacy at BZ receptors. BZ/alpha1 receptors appear to play a prominent role in the DS effects of triazolam, but the contribution of other subtypes of BZ receptors cannot be ruled out.     

Action of polychlorocycloalkane insecticides on binding of [35S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate to Torpedo electric organ membranes and stereospecificity of the binding site

Binding of [35S]t-butylbicyclophosphorothionate ([35S]TBPS) to Torpedo electric organ membranes was characterized. A dose- and pH-dependent binding (100.8 pmol/mg protein) was detected with a single affinity (Kd of 0.9 microM) in the presence of 150 mM KCl at pH 6.8. Other anions such as Br- and I- also increased binding affinity, but to a lower degree than Cl-, which increased the affinity by two- to threefold. In presence of 150 mM KCl, [35S]TBPS binding was inhibited noncompetitively by Zn2+ and by 4,4'-diisothiocyano-2,2'-stilbenedisulfonic acid (DIDS) (IC50 of 9 microM). The gamma-isomer of hexachlorocyclohexane (BHC) was much more potent in inhibiting this [35S]TBPS binding and the inhibition was competitive (Ki = 40 nM). Like binding of [35S]TBPS to the gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor, its binding to Torpedo membranes was inhibited by pentobarbital, mephobarbital, and hexobarbital (IC50 of 85, 225, and 300 microM), respectively), but not by phenobarbital. Binding was not inhibited by diazepam, GABA, bicuculline, or avermectin B1a, ligands that bind to the GABAA receptor. [35S]TBPS binding was inhibited by BHC isomers with the following decreasing order of potency alpha = gamma greater than sigma greater than beta, and by cyclodiene insecticides. Endrin was more potent than dieldrin, but endosulfan I and II had similar effects. The data suggest that the binding site for polychlorocycloalkane insecticides on this protein is much less stereoselective than that of the Cl- channel of the GABAA receptor. Also, even though this Torpedo protein has higher affinity for insecticides, such as gamma-BHC, than does the GABAA receptor, it is the latter whose specificity correlates best with polychlorocycloalkane toxicity. Nevertheless, because of its high affinity for gamma-BHC such a protein in muscles or brain may be an important target for the action of this insecticide.