Antagonism of 5-hydroxytryptamine(4) receptors attenuates hyperactivity induced by cocaine: putative role for 5-hydroxytryptamine(4) receptors in the nucleus accumbens shell.

The localization of 5-hydroxytryptamine(4) (5-HT(4)) receptors suggests their role in the regulation of dopamine (DA) neurotransmission, a speculation that has been supported by neurochemical studies. Mesolimbic DA systems play a prominent role in mediating the behavioral effects of the abused psychostimulant cocaine, and the intent of the present study was to assess the role of 5-HT(4) receptors in the control of spontaneous and cocaine-induced activity. Systemic administration of the 5-HT(4) receptor partial agonist 1-(4-amino-5-chloro-2-methoxyphenyl)-3-[1-butyl-4-piperidinyl]1-propa none hydrochloride (RS 67333; 0.0001-1 mg/kg) or the 5-HT(4) receptor antagonist 4-amino-5-chloro-2-methoxy-benzoic acid-(diethylamino)ethyl ester hydrochloride (SDZ 205,557; 0.0001-1 mg/kg) did not significantly alter spontaneous activity, whereas SDZ 205,557 significantly attenuated cocaine-induced horizontal activity and rearing. To test the hypothesis that cocaine-elicited behaviors were modulated by 5-HT(4) receptors in the nucleus accumbens (NAc) shell, two separate groups of male rats were implanted with bilateral cannulas aimed at the NAc shell. Intra-NAc shell microinjections of either RS 67333 (1 or 3 microgram/0.2 microliter/side) or SDZ 205,557 (1-5 microgram/0.2 microliter/side) did not alter spontaneous activity observed after a systemic saline injection but did significantly attenuate the hyperactivity induced by systemic cocaine injection (10 mg/kg). These results support an involvement of 5-HT(4) receptors, particularly those in the NAc shell, in the locomotor stimulatory effects of cocaine. Furthermore, these data suggest that 5-HT(4) receptors may regulate behavioral processes dependent on mesolimbic DA pathways and may provide a novel target for the development of medications useful in the treatment of both drug dependence and psychiatric disorders.     

Pharmacological profile of dopamine receptor agonists as studied by brain dialysis in behaving rats

Using the technique of brain dialysis in freely moving rats we have investigated the effect of various dopamine (DA) receptor agonists on the release and metabolism of DA in two terminal dopaminergic areas, the nucleus accumbens and the dorsal caudate. Low doses of various DA receptor agonists such as apomorphine (12-100 micrograms/kg s.c.), LY 171555 (5-50 micrograms/kg s.c.), pergolide (5-25 micrograms/kg s.c.), (+)-3PPP (0.5-2.5 mg/kg s.c.) and BHT 920 (10-250 micrograms/kg s.c.) reduce DA release and elicit hypomotility. The potency of the drugs and their effectiveness is similar in the two areas. Inhibition of DA release appears related to the ability of the various agonists to stimulate D-2 rather than D-1 receptors. Thus, the reportedly selective D-1 agonist, SKF 38393, was inactive on DA release and metabolism even at doses fully active in eliciting D-1-mediated effects (grooming); on the other hand apomorphine, a D-1/D-2 agonist, and pergolide, a D-2 agonist with rather weak D-1 activity, reduced DA release in a manner which was related to their agonist activity at D-2 receptors; finally LY 171555, (+)-3PPP and BHT 920, which selectively stimulate D-2 receptors, were fully active at reducing DA release in vivo. Apomorphine, pergolide, LY 171555 and (+)-3PPP given at higher doses elicited behavioral stimulation. In contrast, BHT 920 failed to do so. In further contrast (-)-3PPP (0.1-10 mg/kg s.c.), which failed to reduce DA release at low doses, actually stimulated it at high doses (10 mg/kg s.c.) and elicited hypomotility, thus resembling DA receptor antagonists.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

5-HT2 receptor blockade by ICI 169,369 and other 5-HT2 antagonists modulates the effects of D-2 dopamine receptor blockade

The effects of D-2 dopamine (DA) receptor blockade were modulated by ICI 169,369, a selective 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)2 receptor antagonist, and by other 5-HT2 antagonists. Specifically, it appears that blockade of 5-HT2 receptors can attenuate the effects of D-2 receptor blockade on rat striatal dopaminergic transmission. Thus, the blockade of D-2 receptors by haloperidol results in a compensatory increase in rat striatal DA metabolism, which is enhanced by ICI 169,369. By itself, ICI 169,369 did not significantly alter DA metabolism. Conversely, several compounds which possess appreciable activity at 5-HT2 sites in ex vivo binding assays, but possess little activity at D-2 sites (i.e., pirenperone, setoperone, fluperlapine and clozapine), all produced large increases in striatal DA metabolism. Therefore, these data suggest that the 5-HT2 component of these compounds, by enhancing DA metabolism, may act to attenuate the blockade of striatal D-2 receptors by these compounds. Consistent with this hypothesis, the chronic blockade of D-2 receptors by haloperidol increases the number of striatal D-2 DA receptors, and these increases are attenuated by the coadministration of ICI 169,369. Likewise, pirenperone and clozapine, at doses which acutely produced elevations in DA metabolism which were similar to those produced by haloperidol, failed to increase the number of D-2 receptors in striatum. Interestingly, 5-HT2 receptor blockade did not appear to potently modulate the effects of D-2 receptor blockade in the olfactory tubercle, a brain region which is innervated by mesolimbic DA-containing neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Relative selectivity of 6,7-dihydroxy-2-dimethylaminotetralin, N-n-propyl-3-(3-hydroxyphenyl)piperidine, N-n-propylnorapomorphine and pergolide as agonists at striatal dopamine autoreceptors and postsynaptic dopamine receptors

6,7-Dihydroxy-2-dimethylaminotetralin (TL-99), N-n-propyl-3-(3-hydroxyphenylpiperidine [(+/-)-3-PPP], N-n-propylnorapomorphine and pergolide were evaluated for activity on a number of biochemical parameters that are presumed to indicate an agonist effect at dopamine (DA) autoreceptors (antagonism of the gamma-hydroxybutyrate-induced increase in dopa formation), at postsynaptic DA receptors (elevation of acetylcholine levels) or at both types of DA receptors (diminution of DA synthesis and homovanillic acid levels) in rat striatum. All four agents decreased striatal dopa accumulation (in the presence and in the absence of gamma-hydroxybutyrate). N-propylnorapomorphine, pergolide and TL-99 also reduced homovanillic acid levels and increased acetylcholine concentrations in striatum whereas (+/-)-3-PPP was inactive. The compounds were all more potent in diminishing dopa accumulation caused by gamma-hydroxybutyrate treatment than in increasing acetylcholine levels [(+/-)-3-PPP showing the highest dissociation] indicating a preferential agonist activity at DA autoreceptors. The relative selectivity of the compounds for DA autoreceptors and postsynaptic DA receptors was evaluated further by studying the antagonism by these drugs of the activation of striatal dopa formation (index of both DA autoreceptor and postsynaptic DA receptor stimulation) and tyrosine hydroxylase (index of postsynaptic DA receptor stimulation only) induced by haloperidol or reserpine. The DA agonists were all more potent in antagonizing the neuroleptic-induced increase in DA synthesis than in counteracting the drug-induced activation of tyrosine hydroxylase, with (+/-)-3PPP exhibiting the highest dissociation. The present results indicate that the DA agonists studied possess some selectivity for striatal DA autoreceptors, (+/-)-3-PPP being the most selective in this respect.     

Mu- and delta-opioid receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by released endogenous dopamine in rat neostriatal slices; demonstration of potent delta-agonist activity of bremazocine

Rat neostriatal slices were superfused with medium containing 0.1 to 30 microM of the dopamine (DA)-releasing agent D-(+)-am-phetamine (AMPH) and the D-2 DA receptor antagonist (-)-sulpiride (10 microM) in the absence or presence of mu-, delta-, and kappa-selective opioids. AMPH dose-dependently enhanced the cyclic AMP production, as measured by its efflux from striatal slices, whereas simultaneous blockade of D-2 DA receptors by (-)-sulpiride strongly potentiated this effect. Both the mu-opioid receptor selective agonist [D-Ala2,MePhe4,Gly-ol5]enkephalin (0.01-3 microM) and the delta-opioid receptor selective agonist [D-Phe2-D-Pen5]enkephalin (DPDPE, 0.01-3 microM) inhibited the cyclic AMP efflux, stimulated by 10 microM AMPH in the presence of (-)-sulpiride, by 70 to 80%. The highly selective kappa-opioid receptor agonist U 50,488 (trans-3,4-dichloro-N-methyl-N-[2-(1-pyrrol-idinyl)- cyclohexyl]benzeneacetamide methanesulfonate hydrate) (0.01-1 microM) had no effect. In contrast, the purported kappa-opioid receptor agonist bremazocine (3-300 nM) inhibited the stimulated adenylate cyclase activity to a similar extent as did [D-Ala2-MePhe4,Gly-ol5]enkephalin and DPDPE. Moreover, the selective irreversible delta-antagonist fentanyl isothiocyanate reversed both the inhibition caused by DPDPE and that caused by bremazocine, whereas the kappa-selective antagonist norbinaltorphimine showed no differences in its potency to antagonize the inhibitory effects of the different opioid agonists. The results indicate that opioids, by activating mu- or delta-, but not kappa-opioid receptors may cause a profound inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity stimulated by activation of (postsynaptic) D-1 DA receptors upon the (presynaptic) release of DA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Antagonism of 5-hydroxytryptamine(2a) receptors attenuates the behavioral effects of cocaine in rats

Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine; 5-HT) 5-HT(2A) receptors have been shown to modulate dopamine (DA) function and a more thorough appreciation of this modulatory interaction between 5-HT2A receptors and DA systems may yield insight into novel approaches to treatment of cocaine dependence. The present study examined the effects of two ligands with varying selectivity for 5-HT2A receptors on the locomotor stimulant and discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine in male rats. Locomotor activity was measured following intraperitoneal injection of vehicle (1 ml/kg), the selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonist M100907 [R-(+)-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)-1-[2-(4-fluorophenylethyl)]-4-piperidine-methanol] (0.02-2.0 mg/kg), or the 5-HT(2) receptor antagonist ketanserin (0.04-4 mg/kg) 45 min before administration of saline (1 ml/kg) or cocaine (10 mg/kg); monitoring of activity in photobeam chambers began at once and proceeded for 1 h. Neither M100907 nor ketanserin significantly altered basal locomotor activity, but both drugs attenuated cocaine-induced hyperactivity (p < 0.05). In drug discrimination studies, rats were trained to discriminate cocaine (10 mg/kg) from saline (1 ml/kg) in a two-lever, water-reinforced operant task. M100907 (0.05-1.6 mg/kg) and ketanserin (0.05-4 mg/kg) evoked a dose-related attenuation of the stimulus effects of cocaine (5 mg/kg, p < 0.05). These results suggest that 5-HT2A receptors play an important role in the behavioral effects of cocaine and that 5-HT2A receptors should be considered a viable target for analysis in the search for pharmacotherapies useful in the treatment of cocaine dependence.     

Serotonergic attenuation of the reinforcing and neurochemical effects of cocaine in squirrel monkeys

Preclinical studies have documented that serotonin (5-HT) can modulate the behavioral effects of cocaine. The present study examined the ability of 5-HT to attenuate the reinforcing and neurochemical effects of cocaine in nonhuman primates. In squirrel monkeys trained to self-administer cocaine (0.1 and 0.3 mg/injection) under a second-order schedule of i.v. drug delivery, the 5-HT uptake inhibitor alaproclate (3.0 and 10.0 mg/kg) and the 5-HT direct agonist quipazine (0.3-1.0 mg/kg) decreased response rates at doses that had no significant effect on behavior maintained by an identical schedule of stimulus termination. The neurochemical bases of the observed drug interactions on behavior were investigated further using in vivo microdialysis techniques in a separate group of awake monkeys to monitor drug-induced changes in extracellular dopamine (DA). Cocaine (1.0 mg/kg) elevated the concentration of DA in the caudate nucleus to approximately 300% of basal levels. Pretreatment with alaproclate or quipazine attenuated cocaine-induced increases in extracellular DA at the same pretreatment doses that decreased cocaine self-administration. The results obtained suggest that increasing brain 5-HT activity can attenuate the reinforcing effects of cocaine, ostensibly by decreasing the ability of cocaine to elevate extracellular DA in brain areas that mediate the behavioral effects. These findings extend those reported previously for the behavioral-stimulant effects of cocaine and identify a potential neurochemical mechanism underlying drug interactions on behavior.     

The discriminative stimulus effects of clozapine in pigeons: involvement of 5-hydroxytryptamine1C and 5-hydroxytryptamine2 receptors.

Pigeons were trained to discriminate i.m. injections of the atypical antipsychotic clozapine (1.0 mg/kg) from saline in a two-key operant procedure. In substitution tests, compounds that shared antagonistic action at 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1C and 5-HT2 receptors produced discriminative stimulus effects similar to clozapine: cyproheptadine, metergoline, mianserin, pizotifen and fluperlapine. 5-HT antagonists selective for 5-HT2 vs. 5-HT1C receptors (e.g., ketanserin, pirenperone, risperidone and methiothepin) failed to produce substantial clozapine-appropriate responding. Other serotonergic compounds failed to produce substantial clozapine-appropriate responding: the 5-HT3 antagonist, ondansetron; the 5-HT1A agonists, (+-)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin and BMY 14802; the 5-HT1A/1B agonist, RU24969; the 5-HT1A partial agonist, NAN190; the 5-HT1C/2 antagonist, mesulergine; the 5-HT1 agonist, I-5-hydroxytryptophane; and the 5-HT1C/2 agonist, quipazine. Other reference compounds such as the typical antipsychotics, chlorpromazine and thioridazine; the selective dopamine D-2 antagonists, droperidol and sulpiride; the dopamine D-1 antagonist, SCH 23390; the antimuscarinics, atropine and scopolamine; the antihistamines, pyrilamine and diphenhydramine; the alpha-1 antagonist, prazosin; and the antidepressants, imipramine and chloromipramine also failed to produce clozapine-appropriate responding. Promethazine, cinanserin and amitriptyline produced only partial generalization to the clozapine cue. The results suggest that blockade of both 5-HT2 and/or 5-HT1C receptors is important in the pharmacological mediation of the discriminative stimulus effects of clozapine. Blockade of 5-HT2 receptors appears not to be sufficient to produce clozapine-like discriminative stimulus effects. The precise role of 5-HT1C receptors in the clozapine discriminative stimulus is unclear due to the lack of compounds selective for this receptor.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Mouse locomotor activity: an in vivo test for dopamine autoreceptor activation

A pharmacologic test is described for assessing selective dopamine (DA) autoreceptor activation using locomotor activity (LMA) of the mouse as the dependent variable. In this test, three criteria must be satisfied to indicate selectivity for the DA autoreceptor. First, a dose-related fall in LMA, taken as a measure of DA autoreceptor activation, should be produced by the putative autoreceptor agonist. Second, to demonstrate a DA system is involved, the reduction in LMA should be blocked by a DA receptor antagonist. Finally, the test compound should produce no LMA-stimulating (i.e., postsynaptic DA receptor agonist) effects over prolonged periods of observation. Using these criteria, 15 DA agonists were evaluated for DA autoreceptor selectivity. Four agents satisfied all criteria as selective DA autoreceptor agonists: CF 25-397, N-n-3-propyl-3- hydroxyphenylpiperidine , 6,7-dihydroxy-2- dimethylaminotetralin (TL-99) and 2-amino-6,7- dibenzoyloxy -1,2,3,4- tetrahydronapthalene . Seven DA agonists produced U-shaped dose-response curves indicative of activity at both the autoreceptor and postsynaptic DA receptor. These agents were: apomorphine, n-propylnorapomorphine, pergolide, RU 24213, RU 24926, (-)-6-ethyl-9-oxaergoline and lisuride. SKF 38393 failed to exert any significant effect on the LMA of the mouse. Both lergotrile and bromocriptine produced dose-related falls in LMA, but both caused a rebound increase in LMA before their durations of action were terminated. Although 3,4-dihydroxyphenylamino-2-imidazoline did produce a dose-related fall in LMA, the inhibition produced by 3,4-dihydroxyphenylamino-2-imidazoline was not reduced by sulpiride, suggesting a nondopaminergic action for 3,4-dihydroxyphenylamino-2-imidazoline.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

5-Hydroxytryptamine 1A receptors in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus mediate oxytocin and adrenocorticotropin hormone release and some behavioral components of the serotonin syndrome

Neuroendocrine responses to administration of serotonin releasing agents or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) 1A receptor agonists have been used as an index of serotonin receptor function in patients with depression and other mood disorders. However, the receptor population that mediates these responses has not been clearly identified. We tested the hypothesis that 5-HT1A receptors in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN) mediate the release of adrenocorticotropin hormone (ACTH) and oxytocin after administration of a selective 5-HT1A agonist in conscious rats. Low-dose infusion (1 nmol/100 nl/side) of the selective 5-HT1A antagonist, WAY100635 (WAY; [O-methyl-3H]-N-(2-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl) ethyl)-N-(2-pyridinyl)cyclohexanecarboxamidetrihydrochloride), into the PVN blocked the rise in ACTH and oxytocin stimulated by low-dose (30 nmol/kg) i.v. administration of the 5-HT1A agonist, 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT; 274 +/- 53 versus 70 +/- 20 pg/ml, P < 0.01 for ACTH and 10.7 +/- 3.4 versus 4.6 +/- 0.7 pg/ml, P < 0.05 for oxytocin after saline or WAY pretreatment, respectively). WAY did not influence the bradycardic effect of 8-OH-DPAT (-56 +/- 7 versus -54 +/- 6 beats per minute after saline or WAY). 8-OH-DPAT treatment also elicited locomotor activation followed by hind limb abduction and flat body posture. Surprisingly, WAY attenuated some aspects of locomotor activation and reduced the duration of hind limb abduction elicited by the agonist (5.1 +/- 0.9 versus 0.3 +/- 0.3 min for saline- or WAY-treated rats). These data indicate that 5-HT1A receptor stimulation in the PVN mediates the characteristic neuroendocrine response to serotonin agonist challenge. Moreover, they provide the first evidence that aspects of the behavioral serotonin syndrome are mediated by forebrain hypothalamic receptors.     

Effects of the potential antidepressant OPC-14523 [1-[3-[4-(3-chlorophenyl)-1-piperazinyl]propyl]-5-methoxy-3,4-dihydro-2-quinolinone monomethanesulfonate] a combined sigma and 5-HT1A ligand: modulation of neuronal activity in the dorsal raphe nucleus

OPC-14523 (OPC; [1-[3-[4-(3-chlorophenyl)-1-piperazinyl]propyl]-5-methoxy-3,4-dihydro-2-quinolinone monomethanesulfonate)] is a novel compound with high affinity for sigma and 5-HT(1A) receptors as well as for the 5-HT transporter. OPC has previously been shown to produce antidepressant-like effects in animal models of depression. This project set out to determine the effect of OPC on serotonergic neurotransmission and to shed light on its mechanism(s) of action. In an electrophysiological model of in vivo extracellular recordings in anesthetized rats, a 2-day treatment (1 mg/kg/day) with OPC induced a significant increase in dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) putative 5-HT neurons' firing activity. This increase was blocked by the coadministration of NE-100 [N,N-dipropyl-2-(4-methoxy-3-(2-phenylethoxy)phenyl)-thylamine], a selective sigma(1) antagonist (10 mg/kg/day). Furthermore, after 2-day treatments with OPC, the 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor response was altered, as demonstrated by the dramatically reduced response to an increase of endogenous 5-HT induced by the acute administration of paroxetine (500 microg/kg, i.v.). However, the 5-HT(1A) agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) (4 microg/kg, i.v.) maintained its ability to decrease 5-HT firing activity, an effect that was reversible by the subsequent administration of the 5-HT(1A) antagonist WAY 100635 [N-[2-(4-[2-methoxyphenyl]-1-piperazinyl)ethyl]-N-2-pyridinylcyclohexanecarboxamide] (100 microg/kg, i.v.). As 8-OH-DPAT has been shown to act preferentially through postsynaptic 5-HT(1A) receptors, our data suggests that this effect of OPC is mediated primarily by the 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor. The decreased response of the 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor to paroxetine was not blocked by the coadministration of NE-100 indicating that sigma(1) receptors are not involved in this effect. Thus, both sigma and 5-HT(1A) receptors play a role in the "antidepressant-like" effects produced by OPC, which is in keeping with previously published behavioral data. In addition, the current series of experiments suggest that OPC might have potential as an antidepressant with a rapid onset of action compared with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor treatments, which initially suppress the firing activity of putative 5-HT neurons and require at least 2 to 3 weeks to restore the firing activity to baseline neuronal firing activity through a desensitization of the 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor.     

Release of endogenous dopamine by stimulation of 5-hydroxytryptamine3 receptors in rat striatum

5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) caused a persistent, concentration-dependent increase of spontaneous release of endogenous dopamine (DA) from superfused rat striatal slices. 2-Methyl-5-HT, a selective 5-HT3 agonist, mimicked the 5-HT response with a potency only slightly less than that of 5-HT. A highly selective 5-HT3 antagonist, ICS 205-930 [(3-alpha-tropanyl)1H-indole-3-carboxylic acid ester], inhibited the effect of both agonists with a pKB value characteristic of 5-HT3 receptors. 5-HT-evoked DA release was resistant to antagonism by methiothepin and methysergide, antagonists at 5-HT 1-like and 5-HT2 receptors. Neither (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane, the selective 5-HT2 receptor agonist, nor 5-carboxamidotryptamine, the selective 5-HT 1-like receptor agonist, altered DA release. The release of DA by 5-HT3 stimulation was Ca++-dependent and partially sensitive to tetrodotoxin. 5-HT and 2-methyl-5-HT also increased K+-evoked DA release. These observations constitute direct, unambiguous evidence that in rat striatum 5-HT3 receptors modulate release of DA.     

Hyperlocomotive and discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine are under the control of serotonin(2C) (5-HT(2C)) receptors in rat prefrontal cortex

The serotonin2C (5-hydroxytryptamine2C; 5-HT2C) receptor (5-HT2CR) is found in abundance in dopamine (DA) mesocorticolimbic pathways and is one of the important target proteins that modulates the behavioral effects of cocaine. In the present study, the hypothesis was tested that the 5-HT2CR in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) may control either spontaneous or cocaine-evoked locomotor activity as well as the discriminative stimulus properties of cocaine. In male Sprague-Dawley rats implanted with bilateral cannulae aimed at the PFC, local microinjections of the preferential 5-HT2CR agonist 6-chloro-2-(1-piperazinyl)pyrazine hydrochloride (MK 212) (0.05-0.5 microg/side) did not alter spontaneous activity, but dose-dependently decreased horizontal hyperactivity evoked by cocaine (10 mg/kg i.p.). Given alone, the selective 5-HT2CR antagonist 8-[5-(2,4-dimethoxy-5-(4-trifluorophenylsulfonamido)phenyl-5-oxopentyl]-1,3,8-triazo-spiro[4.5]decane-2,4-dione hydrochloride (RS 102221) (5 microg/side) increased basal locomotor activity of rats expressed in the vertical plane. Microinjections of RS 102221 (5 microg/side, but not 0.15-1.5 microg/side) significantly enhanced the horizontal activity induced by cocaine (10 mg/kg). In rats trained to discriminate cocaine (10 mg/kg i.p.) from saline (i.p.) in a two-lever, water-reinforced fixed ratio 20 task, intra-PFC microinjections of MK 212 (0.05 and 0.5 microg/side) did not substitute for cocaine, but attenuated the stimulus effects of cocaine. However, intra-PFC microinjections of RS 102221 (1.5 and 5 microg/side) evoked 13 and 40% cocaine-lever responding when tested alone and enhanced the recognition of cocaine. These data indicate that the PFC is a brain site at which the 5-HT2CR exerts an inhibitory control over the hyperactive and discriminative stimulus effects of cocaine known to be dependent upon activation of the DA mesoaccumbens circuit.     

FCE 23884, substrate-dependent interaction with the dopaminergic system. II. Preclinical biochemical studies.

The effects of FCE 23884 [4-(9,10-didehydro-6-methylergolin-8 beta-yl) methyl-piperazine-2,6-dione] were examined using a variety of biochemical methods. In vitro assays showed that FCE 23884 bound to D-2, alpha-2 and 5-hydroxytryptamine1A sites with Ki values of 6.5, 4.0 and 4.0 nM, respectively. The affinity for D-1 and S-2 receptors was moderate (submicromolar range) and slight or negligible for alpha-1, cholinergic and sigma receptors. In normal rats, FCE 23884 accelerated markedly dopamine (DA) turnover in the neostriatum and nucleus accumbens as indicated by the increased ratios of dihydroxphenyl acetic acid/DA and homovanillic acid/DA. The compound enhanced DA synthesis and utilization rate. After gamma-butyrolactone treatment, a model to study DA autoreceptors function, FCE 23884 almost antagonized completely the gamma-butyrolactone reversal induced by apomorphine on l-dihydroxyphenylalanine accumulation in the two brain areas. In addition, FCE 23884 induced a rapid 20-fold increase of serum prolactin confirming its DA antagonistic profile in normal rats. In contrast with these antidopaminergic properties, FCE 23884 consistently stimulated basal adenylate cyclase activity in vitro (ED50 = 0.6 microM) and elicited a rapid increase of cyclic AMP formation in the neostriatum of normal (35%) and reserpinized (82%) rats in vivo. Furthermore in this last condition both the DA turnover and synthesis rate in the neostriatum and nucleus accumbens decreased after treatment with FCE 23884. These neurochemical data support the behavioral studies indicating that FCE 23884 possesses mixed DA antagonist and agonist properties depending on the experimental conditions, the distinguishing factor being presence or absence of DA.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

D-1 and D-2 dopamine receptor blockade: interactive effects in vitro and in vivo

Haloperidol, at low concentrations that block D-2 dopamine (DA) receptors but not D-1 DA receptors (less than 10 microM), potentiated the enhancement of adenylate cyclase activity produced by the D-1 agonist SKF 38393. Low concentrations of haloperidol (less than or equal to 5 microM) also potentiated the K+-evoked release of [3H]acetylcholine from superfused striatal tissue slices. Both of these effects of haloperidol were blocked by nanomolar concentrations of SCH 23390, a D-1 receptor antagonist. In addition, SCH 23390 reduced the ability of haloperidol to antagonize the inhibition of [3H]acetylcholine release produced by the DA agonist apomorphine. By itself, SCH 23390 did not alter either basal adenylate cyclase activity or the K+-evoked release of [3H]acetylcholine. These findings suggest that SCH 23390 can attenuate in vitro responses to D-2 receptor blockade. Likewise, in vivo, very low doses (less than 1 microgram/kg) of SCH 23390 reduced the ability of haloperidol to elevate striatal DA metabolite concentrations and plasma prolactin concentrations. Thus, D-1 receptor blockade may attenuate the effects of D-2 DA receptor blockade both in vitro and in vivo.     

Tolerance and cross-tolerance to the activating effects of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and a 5-hydroxytryptamine1B agonist.

Previous studies indicate that 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) produces locomotor hyperactivity in rats by increasing the presynaptic release of serotonin (5-HT). Interactions between MDMA and 5-HT receptor antagonists suggest that the activating effects of MDMA are mediated via 5-HT1-like receptors. In order to assess the contribution of particular 5-HT receptor subtypes to the behavioral effects of MDMA, the present studies examined the development of tolerance and cross-tolerance to the behavioral effects of MDMA and selective 5-HT receptor agonists. In the first study, rats were pretreated with saline, a 5-HT1A receptor agonist (8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin, 1.0 mg/kg), a 5-HT1B receptor agonist [5-methoyx-3-(1,2,3,6-tetrahydro-4-pyridinyl)-1H-indole butane dioate (RU24969), 2.5 mg/kg] or a 5-HT1C/5-HT2 receptor agonist (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine, 1.0 mg/kg) twice daily for 3 days. The behavioral response to S-MDMA (3.0 mg/kg) was assessed 36 hr after the last pretreatment injection. Pretreatment with RU24969 antagonized the activating effects of S-MDMA. In contrast, pretreatment with 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine did not alter the response to S-MDMA, and pretreatment with 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin reduced the activity of both control and S-MDMA-treated animals. In the second study, rats were pretreated with saline or RS-MDMA (10 mg/kg), twice daily for 4 days. The behavioral response to saline, S-MDMA (3.0 mg/kg), RU24969 (2.5 mg/kg) or S-amphetamine (1.0 mg/kg) was assessed 36 hr after the last pretreatment injection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Effect of 1-(m-chlorophenyl)piperazine and 1-(m-trifluoromethylphenyl)piperazine on locomotor activity

The piperazine-type 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) agonists 1-(m-trifluoromethylphenyl)piperazine (TFMPP), 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-piperazine (m-CPP), 1-(p-chlorophenyl)piperazine (p-CPP) and MK-212 [6-chloro-2-(1-piperazinyl)pyrazine], produced a dose-dependent suppression of spontaneous ambulatory behavior in rats. Pretreatment with the 5-HT antagonists metergoline, methysergide or mianserin, but not selective 5-HT2 or catecholamine antagonists, blocked the reduction of activity caused by TFMPP suggesting that the stimulation of 5-HT receptors was involved in causing this behavioral effect. Other behavioral signs of 5-HT receptor stimulation, such as the 5-HT behavioral syndrome or head-shaking behavior, were not observed in rats injected with TFMPP, m-CPP or MK-212 except at toxic doses. The ability of piperazine agonists to reduce locomotor activity in rats was altered by long-term changes in 5-HT neurotransmission. The destruction of 5-HT neurons by i.v.t. injection of the neurotoxin 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine potentiated the ability of m-CPP to inhibit ambulatory behavior. On the other hand, elevating 5-HT content by administering the monoamine oxidase inhibitors phenelzine or nialamide for 7 days reduced the ability of m-CPP to suppress locomotor activity. Acute administration of the monoamine oxidase inhibitors, or chronic administration of other antidepressants such as desmethylimipramine or iprindole, failed to alter m-CPPs activity-suppressant effects. These studies suggest that chronic changes in 5-HT neurotransmission produce compensatory changes which alter the behavioral response to these piperazine agonists. Taken together with other evidence that both TFMPP and m-CPP are agonists at 5-HT1B and 5-HT1C receptors, the effects of TFMPP and m-CPP on locomotor activity may be associated with the selective activation of 5-HT1C, or possibly 5-HT1B, receptors.     

Alterations of central serotonin and dopamine turnover in rats treated with ipsapirone and other 5-hydroxytryptamine1A agonists with potential anxiolytic properties

Measurements of tissue levels of monoamines and their metabolites, and of the rates of 5-hydroxytryptophan and dihydroxy-phenylalanine accumulation after blockade of aromatic amino acid decarboxylase by benserazid indicated that ipsapirone (1-10 mg/kg i.p.) decreased 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) turnover and accelerated dopamine (DA) turnover in various brain regions. The reduced 5-HT turnover probably resulted from the stimulation of 5-HT1A autoreceptors within the anterior raphe nuclei as in vitro tests [( 3H]-8-hydroxy-2-[di-n-propylamino]tetralin binding and adenylate cyclase assays) demonstrated that ipsapirone was a 5-HT1A agonist almost as potent as 8-OH-DPAT, and the same decrease in 5-hydroxytryptophan accumulation could be induced by the i.p. (5 mg/kg) or intraraphe (1 microgram) injection of ipsapirone. Ipsapirone-induced acceleration of DA turnover persisted after the selective degeneration of serotoninergic neurons by intraraphe 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine infusion, and could be reproduced by i.p. administration of other 5-HT1A agonists like buspirone and gepirone, but not 8-OH-DPAT. These results demonstrate that ipsapirone-induced acceleration of DA turnover did not result from the stimulation of 5-HT1A (auto)receptors, but involved additional target(s) of the drug. The possible participation of dopaminergic systems in the "anxiolytic" properties of ipsapirone should deserve further investigations.     

Effects of serotonin 2C receptor agonists on the behavioral and neurochemical effects of cocaine in squirrel monkeys

Accumulating evidence indicates that the serotonin system modulates the behavioral and neurochemical effects of cocaine, but the receptor subtypes mediating these effects remain unknown. Recent studies have demonstrated that pharmacological activation of the serotonin 2C receptor (5-HT(2C)R) attenuates the behavioral and neurochemical effects of cocaine in rodents, but such compounds have not been systematically evaluated in nonhuman primates. The present experiments sought to determine the impact of pretreatment with the preferential 5-HT(2C)R agonist m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) and the selective 5-HT(2C)R agonist Ro 60-0175 [(α-S)-6-chloro-5-fluoro-α-methyl-1H-indole-1-ethanamine fumarate] on the behavioral and neurochemical effects of cocaine in squirrel monkeys. In subjects trained to lever-press according to a 300-s fixed-interval schedule of stimulus termination, pretreatment with either 5-HT(2C)R agonist dose-dependently and insurmountably attenuated the behavioral stimulant effects of cocaine. In subjects trained to self-administer cocaine, both compounds dose-dependently and insurmountably attenuated cocaine-induced reinstatement of previously extinguished responding in an antagonist-reversible manner, and the selective agonist Ro 60-0175 also attenuated the reinforcing effects of cocaine during ongoing cocaine self-administration. It is noteworthy that the selective agonist Ro 60-0175 exhibited behavioral specificity because it did not significantly alter nondrug-maintained responding. Finally, in vivo microdialysis studies revealed that pretreatment with Ro 60-0175 caused a reduction of cocaine-induced dopamine increases within the nucleus accumbens, but not the caudate nucleus. These results suggest that 5-HT(2C)R agonists functionally antagonize the behavioral effects of cocaine in nonhuman primates, possibly via a selective modulation of cocaine-induced dopamine increases within the mesolimbic dopamine system and may therefore represent a novel class of pharmacotherapeutics for the treatment of cocaine abuse.     

Effects of norepinephrine and serotonin transporter inhibitors on hyperactivity induced by neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine lesioning in rats

Consistent with their clinical effects in attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the stimulants methylphenidate and amphetamine reduce motor hyperactivity in juvenile male rats with neonatal 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) lesions of the forebrain dopamine (DA) system. Since stimulants act on several aminergic neurotransmission systems, we investigated underlying mechanisms involved by comparing behavioral actions of d-methylphenidate, selective inhibitors of the neuronal transport of DA [GBR-12909 (1-[2-[bis(4-fluorophenyl)methoxy]ethyl]-4-[3-phenylpropyl]piperazine dihydrochloride), amfonelic acid], serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), citalopram, fluvoxamine], and norepinephrine (NE; desipramine, nisoxetine) in 6-OHDA lesioned rats. Selective dopamine lesions were made using 6-OHDA (100 microg, intracisternal) on postnatal day (PD) 5 after desipramine pretreatment (25 mg/kg, s.c.) to protect noradrenergic neurons. Rats were given test agents or vehicle, intraperitoneally, before recording motor activity for 90 min at PD 25 in a novel environment. d-Methylphenidate stimulated motor activity in sham controls and antagonized hyperactivity in lesioned rats. Selective DA transport inhibitors GBR-12909 and amfonelic acid greatly stimulated motor activity in sham control subjects, too, but did not antagonize hyperactivity in lesioned rats. In contrast, all selective 5-HT and NE transporter antagonists tested greatly reduced motor hyperactivity in 6-OHDA lesioned rats but did not alter motor activity in sham controls. The findings indicate that behavioral effects of stimulants in young rats with neonatal 6-OHDA lesions may be mediated by release of NE or 5-HT and support interest in using drugs that increase activity of norepinephrine or serotonin to treat ADHD.