Dual effects of serotonin on a voltage-gated conductance in lymphocytes.
(17/32)
The effects of serotonin (5-HT), a well-known immunomodulator and neurotransmitter, on the ionic permeability of a pre-B lymphocyte cell line was investigated with the whole-cell patch-clamp technique. We found that physiological doses of this biogenic amine regulate a voltage-gated potassium channel by activating different subsets of receptors. More specifically, 5-HT induces in the recorded cells (i) increase in the maximum potassium conductance, which is due to activation of 5-HT1-like receptors, and (ii) acceleration of the inactivation process that is under the control of 5-HT3 receptors and, accordingly, is mimicked by the 5-HT3 agonist, 2-methyl-5-HT; involvement of those two distinct categories of receptors was demonstrated by using specific antagonists that block predominantly one or the other of these two actions. These two results show that hormones can affect lymphocyte physiology through modulation of their ionic conductances in a way that might help explain some of the diverse effects of 5-HT on neuronal cells. (+info)
Evidence for depressant 5-HT1-like receptors on rat brainstem neurones.
(18/32)
1. The technique of microiontophoresis was used to evaluate the contribution of 5-HT1-like, 5-HT2- and 5-HT3-receptors to the depressant effects of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on neurones in the midline of the medullary brainstem of the rat in vivo. 2. Depressant responses to 5-HT were resistant to antagonism by the 5-HT2-receptor antagonist ketanserin and the 5-HT3-receptor antagonist MDL 72222 applied either microiontophoretically or administered systemically. 3. Microiontophoretic or systemic administration of the 5-HT antagonist metergoline, which shows nanomolar affinity for the 5-HT1-binding site, also failed to attenuate the depressant responses to 5-HT. 4. Systemic administration of high doses of methysergide (30-40 mg kg-1) attenuated the depressant responses to 5-HT but did not block depressant responses to GABA or excitatory responses to glutamate. 5. The depressant effects of 5-HT were potently mimicked by the 5-HT1-like receptor agonists 5-carboxamidotryptamine and 8-OH-DPAT. 6. These results indicate that neither 5-HT2-receptors nor 5-HT3-receptors are involved in the depressant effects of 5-HT on midline brainstem neurones. The depressant effects of 5-carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT) and 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT) and blockade of the response to 5-HT by high doses of methysergide suggests the involvement of 5-HT1-like receptors. The lack of effect of metergoline, however, indicates that this receptor may be different from any of the 5-HT1 binding sites yet described. (+info)
Involvement of serotonin in the excitation of phrenic motoneurons evoked by stimulation of the raphe obscurus.
(19/32)
Short-latency averaged responses in the C5 phrenic nerves to electrical stimulation (2.5-80 microA; 5-80 Hz; 150 microseconds pulse duration) of raphe pallidus (RP) and raphe obscurus (RO) were investigated in anesthetized, paralyzed, and artificially ventilated cats. The responses to stimulation of RO were excitatory, whereas a mixture of inhibitory and excitatory responses of lesser magnitude were observed after stimulating in RP. The maximal response was obtained from the ventral part of RO and consisted of early and delayed excitatory responses that were of equal magnitude in both left and right C5 phrenic nerve roots. The mean latency for the early response was 2.5 +/- 0.1 msec and for the delayed response was 7.0 +/- 0.2 msec. Both responses were elicited during inspiratory phase stimulation, but only the delayed response was present during expiratory phase stimulation. The stimulus threshold of the early response was 5 microA; the delayed response was elicited at currents as small as 2.5 microA. Early and delayed responses were affected in different ways by increasing stimulus current and by increasing stimulus frequency. Intravenous administration of serotonin receptor antagonists methysergide (0.1-0.7 mg/kg), metergoline (33-244 micrograms/kg), and cinanserin (1.5-9.0 micrograms/kg) caused significant dose-related reductions in the magnitude of the delayed response, but did not significantly affect the early response. These data suggest that the early and delayed excitatory responses are mediated by different neuronal pathways. The early response does not involve serotonin release, while the later response is mediated at least in part by activation of a serotonergic pathway.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS) (+info)
Participation of opiate and serotonergic systems in brain conditioning stimulatory inhibition of the potentials evoked by tooth pulp stimulation in the pars caudalis of the trigeminal sensory nucleus of the rat.
(20/32)
Effects of conditioning stimulations of the nucleus raphe magnus (NRM), nucleus reticularis paragigantocellularis (NRPG), mesencephalic periaqueductal central gray (PAG), nucleus dorsomedialis hypothalami (DMH), corpus striatum (CP), sensory cortex (SCT) and visual cortex (VCT) and actions of morphine, naloxone and metergoline on the potentials recorded from the pars caudalis of the trigeminal sensory nucleus evoked by the electrical stimulation of rat incisor pulps were examined. The spinal potentials evoked by electrical stimulation of the pulp consisted of 3 components. Component 2 was mainly inhibited by morphine and antagonized by naloxone. Conditioning stimulation of NRM, NRPG, PAG, CP, SCT and DMH strongly inhibited component 2. VCT did not show any inhibition. 33-67% of antagonism was observed by naloxone in the NRM, NRPG, PAG, CP, SCT and DMH. On the other hand, 27-44% of antagonism was observed by metergoline, and the antagonism was not enhanced by the additional administration of naloxone. These results conclusively show that the endorphin system as well as the serotonergic system is in the series involved in the descending inhibition for nociception in the trigeminal sensory nucleus. (+info)
Is receptor activation involved in the mechanism by which (+)-fenfluramine and (+)-norfenfluramine deplete 5-hydroxytryptamine in the rat brain?
(21/32)
1 The effects of (+)-fenfluramine, (+)-norfenfluramine and reserpine on the concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in brainstem and telencephalon were studied in rats treated with methergoline, a 5-HT antagonist. 2 Methergoline significantly reduced the effect of (+)-norfenfluramine (5 mg/kg) on 5-HT levels in telencephalon and brainstem but did not modify the effect of (+)-norfenfluramine (2.5 mg/kg). 3 Neither the effect of (+)-fenfluramine on 5-HT levels nor the decrease of 5-HT metabolism caused by (+)-fenfluramine and (+)-norfenfluramine was significantly modified by methergoline treatment. 4 Methergoline potentiated the effects of reserpine on brain indoles. The effects was particularly evident on 5-HIAA levels in the brainstem, although significant effects were found on 5-HT in the brainstem and 5-HIAA in the telencephalon depending on the dose reserpine used. 5 The results show that postsynaptic receptor activation may partially contribute to the depletion of brain 5-HT caused by (+)-norfenfluramine in the rat. This mechanism does not seem to play a significant role in the effect of (+)-fenfluramine. (+info)
Role of 5HT in the morbidity of cerebral infarction-a study in the gerbil stroke model.
(22/32)
Cerebral infarction was produced by unilateral carotid ligation in the gerbil, and 5HT levels in the cerebral hemispheres were assayed 3.5 hours later. A bilateral fall as confirmed, with the greatest change occurring on the side of carotid ligation in animals showing the clinical sequelae of infarction. Neither absolute levels nor right left differences in 5HT content related directly to the nature or prevalence of neurological morbidity. Neither putative 5HT receptor antagonists nor agents causing increasing brain 5HT levels produced consistent changes in the prevalence of neurological morbidity. It is argued that the fall in 5HT in a cerebral infarct is more likely to be due to reduced synthesis and turnover than to release of the amine into the synaptic cleft. These findings cast doubt on the hypothesis that a significant part of the morbidity and mortality of cerebral infarction is due to the sequelae of 5HT release. (+info)
Prolactin secretion in man: a useful tool to evaluate the activity of drugs on central 5-hydroxytryptaminergic neurones. Studies with fenfluramine.
(23/32)
Acute oral administration of various doses of fenfluramine, a 5-HT releaser, induced a dose-related increase of PRL secretion in nine healthy volunteers. Fenfluramine reached the maximum effect on PRL secretion at 4 h after its administration. This effect was already significant at 2 h and lasted till 8 h. Metergoline, a 5-HT receptor blocker, when administered alone, decreased serum PRL levels in six healthy subjects. The pretreatment with this drug significantly antagonized the PRL-releasing action of fenfluramine (60 mg) suggesting that the effect of fenfluramine on PRL release may be mediated through a 5-HT mechanism in the brain. These findings suggest the possibility that serum PRL levels in humans may represent a useful tool to evaluate, in vivo, the activity of drugs possessing putative 5-hydroxytryptaminergic properties. (+info)
A role for an indoleamine other than 5-hydroxytryptamine in the hypothalamic thermoregulatory pathways of the rat.
(24/32)
1. Intrahypothalamic injection of either 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) (20 mug) or tryptamine (1 mug) caused hypothermia and hyperthermia respectively in lightly restrained rats maintained at an ambient temperature of 20 +/- 1 degrees C.2. Both the 5-HT- and the tryptamine-sensitive sites were located within the same region of the preoptic area.3. When rats were tested at different ambient temperatures (4, 20 and 29 degrees C), intrahypothalamic injection of 5-HT caused a marked fall in core temperature (-1.3 degrees C) in rats maintained at 4 degrees C, but smaller responses were obtained at 20 and 29 degrees C (-0.9 and -0.5 degrees C respectively). Tryptamine caused a significant hyperthermia in rats kept at 20 degrees C, but had no significant effect in rats maintained at either 4 or 29 degrees C.4. The hypothermic effect of 5-HT was selectively antagonized by systemic pre-treatment with cyproheptadine (2.5 mg/kg), but not by methergoline (0.625 mg/kg) and methysergide (0.2 mg/kg). In contrast, the hyperthermic effect of tryptamine was blocked by methergoline and methysergide, but not by cyproheptadine.5. Cyproheptadine (2.5 mg/kg) reduced the ability of rats to cope with a heat load but had no effect on the response to cold. In contrast, methergoline (0.625 mg/kg) and methysergide (0.2 mg/kg) reduced the ability to cope with cold but the rats' ability to cope with a heat load remained intact.6. These results suggest the existence of two indoleamine pathways within the preoptic anterior hypothalamus involved in the control of body temperature: a serotonergic pathway mediating heat loss and a non-serotonergic pathway mediating heat gain. The non-serotonergic system may exert its effects by modulating the activity of a central serotonergic system. (+info)