Quantitative analysis of striatal dopamine D2 receptors with 123 I-iodolisuride SPECT in degenerative extrapyramidal diseases.

123I-Iodolisuride has high specific affinity for binding on dopamine D2 receptors in the striatum and has been used in a few single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) studies of extrapyramidal disorders. The diagnosis of Parkinson's disease (PD) is very difficult in the first 5 years of evolution, with 15-25% false positive diagnoses. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the value of iodolisuride SPECT in discriminating Parkinson's from the most frequent Parkinson-plus syndromes (PPS). Seventeen patients with an extrapyramidal syndrome had a SPECT examination 1 h after injection of 180-185 MBq of 123I-iodolisuride. They were followed under dopaminergic treatment for at least 2 years. After 2 years, they were separated in two groups according to specific clinical criteria and sensitivity to dopaminergic treatment: nine patients had PD (age = 59.8+/-8.8 years; Hoehn and Yahr = 1.8+/-0.7; evolution = 4.3+/-3 years) and eight had PPS (age = 71.6+/-7.3 years; Hoehn and Yahr = 2.9+/-2.0; evolution = 4.1+/-1.5 years). The binding potential of iodolisuride in the striatum was assessed by considering the striatum (S)/occipital lobe (O) ratio at the pseudo-equilibrium 1 h after injection. The S/O ratio was statistically different between PD and PPS (1.97+/-0.3 vs. 1.65+/-0.2 (P<0.02)). Iodolisuride SPECT could differentiate both groups with a sensitivity of 88.8% and a specificity of 75%. Iodolisuride is a good specific D2 receptor ligand for SPECT and complements specific clinical criteria for the diagnosis of Parkinson's disease and differentiation between different extrapyramidal disorders.

Synthesis of tropane and nortropane analogues with phenyl substitutions as serotonin transporter ligands.

The effects of structural modifications of 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-phenyl tropane analogues were evaluated on in vitro affinity to the dopamine (DAT) and serotonin (5-HTT) transporters in rat brain tissue. The introduction of a large alkyl group at the 4'-position of the phenyl ring, affording 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(4'-alkylphenyl) tropane, diminished the affinity for the DAT whereas moderate 5-HTT affinity was obtained. The introduction of an iodine at the 3'-position of the 4'-alkylphenyl, affording 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(3'-iodo-4'-alkylphenyl) tropane, and N-demethylation, affording 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(3'-iodo-4'-alkylphenyl) nortropane, improved affinity and specificity for the 5-HTT. It could be assumed from these results that the combination of these three modifications of tropane structure yielded highly selective compounds for the 5-HTT. Of the new compounds synthesized, the most selective cocaine derivative, 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(3'-iodo-4'-isopropylphenyl) nortropane (8d) labeled with iodine-123 or carbon-11, could be a potential ligand for exploration of the 5-HT transporter by SPET or PET.

Characterization of 99mTc-DTPA aerosols for lung permeability studies.

BACKGROUND: The interpretation of 99mTc diethylenetriamine pentaacetate (99mTc DTPA) aerosol clearance is based on the hypothesis that the 99mTc-DTPA complex is not altered by the nebulization process. OBJECTIVES: To characterize (1) the radiochemical purity (RCP) of 99mTc-DTPA and the stability of labeling after jet nebulization, and (2) the particle size distribution of the aerosol. METHODS: RCP and stability--the aerosol was driven by oxygen, captured on filters which were eluted and RCP was checked by thin layer chromatography. Particle size distribution--the aerosol was generated using dry air (50 psi) at three different flow rates, i.e. 3 (1 run), 6 (4 runs) and 9 l x min(-1) (4 runs). The mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) and the geometric standard deviation (sigma(g)) were determined using a cascade impactor from the radioactivity counted on each stage. RESULTS: The RCP was more than 95% in all cases. Mean MMAD (+/-SD) was 0.70 microm (+/-0.07) at 9 l x min(-1), 0.93 microm (+/-0.05) at 6 l x min(-1) (p < 0.05) and 1.50 microm at 3 l x min(-1). Mean sigma(g) (+/-SD) was 2.02 (+/-0.08) at 9 l x min(-1), 2.00 (+/-0.16) at 6 l x min(-1) and 1.90 at 3 l x min(-1). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates (1) that the high RCP of 99mTc-DTPA is not affected by jet nebulization, even when using oxygen at a high flow rate, and (2) that when using a flow rate between 6 and 9 l x min(-1), the MMAD remains optimal for peripheral lung deposition.

Modification of dopamine neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens of rats deficient in n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

We studied the effects of a diet chronically deficient in alpha-linolenic acid, the precursor of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, on dopaminergic neurotransmission in the shell region of the nucleus accumbens of rats. In vivo microdialysis experiments showed increased basal levels of dopamine and decreased basal levels of metabolites, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) and homovanillic acid (HVA), in awake rats from the deficient group compared to controls. The release of dopamine under KCl stimulation was similar in both dietary groups. By contrast, the release of dopamine from the vesicular storage pool under tyramine stimulation was 90% lower in the deficient than in the control rats. Autoradiographic studies in the same cerebral region revealed a 60% reduction in the vesicular monoamine transporter sites in the deficient group. Dopamine D(2) receptors were 35% increased in these rats compared to controls, whereas no change occurred for D(1) receptors and membrane dopamine transporters. These results demonstrated that chronic n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid deficiency modifies several factors of dopaminergic neurotransmission in the nucleus accumbens. These findings are in agreement with the changes in dopaminergic neurotransmission already observed in the frontal cortex, and with the behavioral disturbances described in these deficient rats.

[131I]-TYR3-octreotide: clinical dosimetry and use for internal radiotherapy of metastatic paraganglioma and carcinoid tumors.

Dosimetry and therapeutic application of [(131)I]-Tyr3-octreotide were evaluated in three patients with metastatic paraganglioma and carcinoid tumor. The in vitro stability of [(131)I]-Tyr3-octreotide was verified. Tumor uptake and residence time were between 0.02 and 0.1% and 0.5 to 9.8 h, respectively. The calculated tumor radiation doses were between 0.105 and 0.696 mGy.MBq(-1). No intolerance or adverse effects were observed after the therapeutic doses (3.3-6.6 GBq). A partial tumor response was obtained in one patient and no response occurred in two patients.

Pharmacological characterization of (E)-N-(3-iodoprop-2-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4'-methylphenyl)n ortropane as a selective and potent inhibitor of the neuronal dopamine transporter.

The pharmacological properties of the iodinated derivative of cocaine (E)-N-(3-iodoprop-2-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4'-me thylphenyl)nortropane (PE2I) were evaluated in vitro in the rat. Binding experiments on rat striatal membranes showed that PE2I selectively recognized the dopamine transporter (DAT) according to a single binding site model with high affinity (K(d) = 4 nM, B(max) = 12 pmol/mg protein). In the cortical membranes, the binding of PE2I was also selectively associated with the DAT (IC(50) for GBR 12909 = 6 nM versus more than 1000 nM for paroxetine), with similar affinity to that of the striatum. Autoradiographic experiments on rat brain sections with [(125)I]PE2I were in agreement with the localization of the DAT. In addition, PE2I was shown to be a potent inhibitor of dopamine uptake, with IC(50) values similar to those for GBR 12909 and 2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4'-iodophenyl)-tropane (beta-CIT) (2-6 nM). All of these findings, combined with previously published data, support the use of PE2I as a selective and potent tool to study the DAT both in vivo and in vitro.

Luteinizing hormone measurement in polycystic ovary syndrome: a practical approach.

The biological diagnosis of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCO) remains questionable, and a single immunological hLH (ihLH) determination can be misleading. In order better to characterize these patients, we studied hLH pulsatility every 10 min for 4h using a radioimmunoassay and then compared the results with others we obtained with a biological method. Radioimmunological and biological profiles were similar in patients with PCO and in controls. We also studied pulsatility characteristics - frequency and amplitude - and calculated the area under the curve (AUC). There was no significant increase in frequency in our 10 patients with PCO but, as in other studies, increased amplitude of hLH pulses was observed. The most discriminating parameter was the AUC. For practical purposes, we propose that hLH in patients with PCO could be assessed efficiently by taking four samples every 10 min, with computerized calculation of the AUC.

PET examination of three potent cocaine derivatives as specific radioligands for the serotonin transporter.

Several positron emission tomography (PET) radioligands based on the aryl tropane structure have been used for studies on monoamine reuptake sites. RTI-364, RTI-330, and RTI-357 (3-beta-(4'-n-propyl-,4'-iso-propyl-, and 4'-iso-propenyl-phenyl)nortropane-2-beta-carboxylic acid methyl ester) are three recently synthesized cocaine analogues with higher affinity for the serotonin (5-HTT) than the dopamine transporter (DAT). Unlabelled RTI-364 and RTI-330 were prepared in a two-step synthesis. The key step was the addition of the appropriate propyl Grignard reagent to anhydroecgonine methyl ester. RTI-357 was prepared in a three-step synthesis with a palladium-catalyzed coupling reaction of beta-CIT and isopropenylzinc bromide as key step. Hydrolysis of the ester functions gave the carboxylic acid analogues of RTI-364, RTI-330, and RTI-357, which were labelled with 11C using [11C]methyl iodide in dimethyl formamide (DMF) and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAH) as base. All three compounds entered the monkey brain in a high degree (approximately 5-10%). There was a low uptake of [11C]RTI-364 in serotonin-rich brain areas, whereas [11C]RTI-330 and [11C]RTI-357 showed a marked uptake of radioactivity in the thalamus and the brainstem, regions known to contain serotonin transporters. Transient equilibrium was reached at 15 and 40 min for [11C]RTI-330 and [11C]RTI-357, respectively. After pretreatment with citalopram, the ratio of radioactivity in the thalamus and the brainstem to the cerebellum were markedly reduced for [11C]RTI-357 but not for [11C]RTI-330. The results indicate that [11C]RTI-357 is a potential PET radioligand for quantitation of the serotonin reuptake site.

Effects of the method of drawing regions of interest on the differential diagnosis of extrapyramidal syndromes using 123I-iodolisuride SPET.

Various parameters are currently used for the semi-quantitative assessment of dopamine D2 receptors and differ according to the delineation of the striatal region of interest (ROI) and the choice of the reference ROI. The aim of this study was to assess the value of different ROI approaches in differentiating patients with normal or increased numbers of D2 dopamine receptors (group 1 = Parkinson's disease, n = 8) from patients with decreased dopamine D2 receptors (group 2 = other extrapyramidal syndromes, n = 9) using 123I-iodolisuride SPET (ILIS-SPET). 123I-iodolisuride (190 +/- 31 MBq) and 99Tcm-ethyl cysteinate dimer (99Tcm-ECD) perfusion SPET were performed in the same position, with a dual-headed gamera camera equipped with fan beam collimators. Both a geometric approach (ellipse, circle or rectangle) and an anatomical approach using the CT scan and perfusion SPET as anatomical guides were used to draw striatal and reference ROIs. A total of 33 different parameters were calculated for each patient, indicating the ratio of counts between the striatal and reference ROIs (frontal, occipital cortex or cerebellum) and the asymmetry between the right and left striatum. More significant differences between group 1 and group 2 were found by using geometric ROIs than by using anatomical ROIs. The most discriminant ratios were the caudate/occipital, caudate/frontal and striatum/occipital ratios (P = 0.001, P = 0.002, P = 0.003 respectively). A close correlation was found between the striatum/caudate and striatum/occipital ratios, but not between the striatum/frontal and striatum/occipital ratios or between the striatum/frontal and striatum/caudate ratios. We conclude that the occipital cortex is the best reference for the semi-quantitative evaluation of dopamine D2 receptors as the frontal cortex could include some dopamine D2 receptor-bound radioligand, and that the caudate/occipital ratio is an appropriate parameter for differentiating Parkinson's disease from non-Parkinson extrapyramidal syndrome by 123I-iodolisuride SPET.

Time course of changes in striatal dopamine transporters and D2 receptors with specific iodinated markers in a rat model of Parkinson's disease.

The time course of the loss in presynaptic dopamine transporters (DAT) and of the increase in postsynaptic dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) was studied in a rat model of Parkinson's disease. For this, in vitro autoradiographic experiments were performed in the striatum using (E)-N-(3-iodoprop-2-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4'-methy lphenyl) nortropane (PE2I), a new single photon emission tomography (SPET) ligand for DAT, and iodobenzamide (IBZM), a SPET ligand for D2R. A significant decrease in [125I]PE2I binding was observed as early as 24 h after 6-hydroxydopamine lesion, whereas no change occurred in [125I]IBZM binding. At 48 h postlesion, PE2I binding was 50% decreased, while IBZM binding was 30% increased. Between 3 and 14 days postlesion, PE2I binding had almost totally disappeared and IBZM binding remained increased by around 40-50%. From these animal experiments, it can be assumed that PE2I would be very efficient for the detection of a reduction in the number of DAT reflecting neuronal loss, thus allowing early diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. The exploration of both DAT and D2R would improve follow-up of this disease.

A selective radiobrominated cocaine analogue for imaging of dopamine uptake sites: pharmacological evaluation and PET experiments.

(E)-N-(3-bromoprop-2-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-4'-tolyl -nortropane or PE2Br, an analogue of cocaine was labelled with the positron emitter 76Br (T1/2=16 h) for pharmacological evaluation in the rat and PET investigation in the monkey. [76Br]PE2Br was obtained by electrophilic substitution from the tributylstannyl precursor with radiochemical yield of 80%. In vivo biodistribution studies of [76Br]PE2Br (20 MBq/nmol) in rats showed a high uptake in the striatum (2.2% ID/g tissue at 15 min p.i.). The striatum to cerebellum radioactivity ratio was 6 at 1 hour p.i. Striatal uptake of [76Br]PE2Br was almost completely prevented by pretreatment with GBR 12909, but citalopram and maprotiline had no effect, confirming the selectivity of the radioligand for the dopamine transporter. PET imaging of the biodistribution of [76Br]PE2Br in the baboon demonstrated rapid and high uptake in the brain (5% ID at 3 min p.i.). The striatal radioactivity concentration reached a plateau at 20 min p.i. (7% ID/100 mL). The uptake in the cortex and cerebellum was very low. A significantly higher uptake in the thalamus was observed. At 1h p.i., the striatum to cerebellum ratio and thalamus to cerebellum ratio were 8 and 1.9 respectively. In competition experiments the radioactivity in the striatum and the thalamus was displaced by 5 mg/kgof cocaine and 5 mg/kg of GBR 12909, but citalopram and maprotiline had no effect. These results showed that [76Br]PE2Br is in vivo a potent and selective radioligand suitable for PET imagingof the dopamine transporter.

[Serum procalcitonin and respiratory tract infections]. / Procalcitonine sérique et pathologie infectieuse respiratoire.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the prognostic value of serum procalcitonine (PCT) assay in adult respiratory infections. Forty-nine patients admitted with pleurisy, community-acquired pneumonia, tuberculosis, infection were included in this prospective study. PCT was assayed on admission and discharge. Biological and clinical parameters of gravity were also evaluated. Twenty patients had elevated PCT of more than 0.50 ng/ml. In 29 patients, PCT was undetectable. The serum PCT level was normal in the patients with tuberculosis, infection, pneumocytosis. PCT did not correlate with the biological and clinical markers of the disease severity but the evolution of PCT correlated with the evolution of C-reactive-protein (r = 0.58, p < 0.05). PCT seems to be an early marker of the evolution of respiratory infections, but it does not help to establish prognosis. Further studies are necessary to assess the potential value of PCT in more severe respiratory infections requiring assisted ventilation.

Prominent Role of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids in Cortical Dopamine Metabolism.

In this study the effects of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) diet deficiency on dopamine metabolism were investigated in the rat frontal cortex by autoradiographic studies and microdialysis. Our results showed a 39% reduction in the vesicular monoamines transporter sites in the deficient group. The dopamine metabolites turnover after monoamine oxidase inhibition was increased in deficient rats without modification of the dopamine turnover. Moreover, extracellular dopamine was not changed in deficient rats after inhibition of the catecholaminergic transporters whereas it was greatly increased in the control rats, suggesting the decrease of dopamine release in deficient animals. These findings demonstrate that the decrease of the dopamine vesicular compartment under n-3 PUFA deficiency is accompanied by modifications of the dopamine metabolism.

Dietary fish oil affects monoaminergic neurotransmission and behavior in rats.

We studied the effects of a fish oil enriched diet on fatty acid composition of cerebral membranes and on several neurochemical and behavioral variables of monoaminergic function in rats. The frontal cortex, striatum, hippocampus and cerebellum were studied in rats fed fish oil (FPO, 50% salmon oil + 50% palm oil), which provided an (n-6)/(n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio of 0.14 versus 6. 19 in controls fed a diet containing a mixture of African peanut oil and rapeseed oil. In the FPO group compared to the control group, the major modifications in fatty acid composition of cerebral membranes included the following: higher levels in 22:6(n-3), lower levels in 20:4(n-6) and a significantly greater proportion of phosphatidylserine. Dopamine levels were 40% greater in the frontal cortex of rats fed FPO than from those fed the control diet. In this cerebral region there was also a reduction in monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B) activity and greater binding to dopamine D2 receptors. By contrast, a lower binding to dopamine D2 receptors (-7%) was observed in the striatum. Ambulatory activity was also reduced in FPO-fed rats, possibly related to observed changes in striatal dopaminergic receptors. This suggested that the level of (n-6) PUFA, which was considerably lower in the FPO diet than in the control diet, could act on locomotion through an effect on striatal dopaminergic function, whereas the high level of (n-3) PUFA could act on cortical dopaminergic function.

Exploration of the dopamine transporter: in vitro and in vivo characterization of a high-affinity and high-specificity iodinated tropane derivative (E)-N-(3-iodoprop-2-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4'-m ethylph enyl)nortropane (PE2I).

For the diagnosis and follow-up of neurodegenerative diseases, many cocaine derivatives have been proposed as radioligands to explore the dopamine transporter. As none of them have all the criteria of specificity and kinetics for human use, we have developed a new derivative, (E)-N-(3-iodoprop-2-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(4'-methy lphenyl)nortropane (PE2I), which displays promising properties. We report the characterization of PE2I in vitro on rat striatal membranes and in vivo in rats and in monkeys. PE2I had a high affinity (Kd = 0.09 +/- 0.01 nM) and high specificity for the dopamine transporter. In rats we observed a high accumulation in the striatum; by contrast, a very low fixation was measured in the cortex. Moreover, a preinjection of a saturating dose of GBR 12909 prevented the striatal accumulation of PE2I by 74%. These results confirmed the specificity of PE2I for the dopamine transporter. In vivo in monkeys, SPECT studies showed a high accumulation in striatum. Moreover, an equilibrium state was obtained 1 h after injection. PE2I seemed to be the most promising ligand for the dopamine transporter exploration by SPECT using a single-day protocol.

Toxicity, mutagenicity, and behavioral effects of beta-CIT, a ligand for dopamine transporter exploration by SPECT.

The cocaine analog beta-CIT is one of the most used compounds for SPET examination of the dopamine transporter in drug abuse and Parkinson's disease. However, the toxicity of this agent has not yet been studied. We report here acute toxicity, mutagenicity, and effect on locomotor activity of beta-CIT. Acute toxicity experiments were performed in mice and rats. The LD50 values were about 20 mg and 5 mg for mice and rats, respectively. There was no sex difference. The mutagenicity was evaluated using the Ames' test. No mutagenic effect was observed for beta-CIT. Effects on locomotor activity were measured in mice using the open-field test. beta-CIT increased locomotion (+65%) when injected at a dose of 0.312 mg/kg; the maximal increase (+205%) was observed at a dose of 1.25 mg/kg; at higher doses, the effect was decreased slightly. These pharmacological findings are in agreement with an inhibitory effect of beta-CIT at the dopamine transporter. We conclude that with no mutagenic effects and LD50 more than 6 orders of magnitude higher than the routinely used doses in PET or SPET, it can be assumed that beta-CIT can be safely used as a radioligand in humans.

Chronic n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid diet-deficiency acts on dopamine metabolism in the rat frontal cortex: a microdialysis study.

The effects of alpha-linolenic acid diet deficiency on rat dopaminergic metabolism were investigated in the frontal cortex of male 2-3 month-old rats using the microdialysis method. Increased basal levels of dopamine metabolites were observed in the frontal cortex of awake deficient rats, without modification of dopamine levels. Moreover, using KCl perfusion which releases newly synthesized dopamine, no difference was observed in anaesthetized deficient rats versus control rats. In addition, a decrease in dopamine release was observed in anaesthetized deficient rats versus control rats after tyramine stimulation, which is known to induce release of dopamine from vesicular stores. A working model is proposed which suggests that a chronic n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) deficiency may lead to modifications in the internalization of dopamine in the storage pool in the frontal cortex.

N-(3-lodoprop-2E-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(3',4'-dichloro phenyl)nortropane (beta-CDIT), a tropane derivative: pharmacological characterization as a specific ligand for the dopamine transporter in the rodent brain.

N-(3-Iodoprop-2E-enyl)-2beta-carbomethoxy-3beta-(3',4'-dichl orophenyl)nortropane (beta-CDIT), a new iodinated tropane derivative, has been synthesized and radiolabeled with iodine. [125I]beta-CDIT was tested in vitro and ex vivo as a probe for the dopamine transporter site in the rat brain, and behavioral studies were performed in mice. Saturation studies in the striatum revealed that [125I]beta-CDIT bound to a single high-affinity site. The Kd value was 0.18 +/- 0.07 nM, and the corresponding Bmax value was 500 +/- 80 fmol/mg of protein. The pharmacological profile of specific [125I]beta-CDIT binding in the striatum was consistent with that of the dopamine transporter. In addition, competition studies in cerebral cortex regions with [3H]paroxetine and [3H]nisoxetine showed a very low affinity of beta-CDIT for the 5-hydroxytryptamine (Ki = 50 nM) and norepinephrine (Ki = 500 nM) transporters compared with beta-CIT (corresponding Ki values were 3 and 80 nM). In contrast, the competition of beta-CDIT with [3H]GBR 12935 in the striatal region (Ki = 29 nM) was of the same order of value as for beta-CIT (Ki = 27.5 nM). Behavioral experiments in mice showed that both beta-CDIT and beta-CIT induced stimulation of locomotor activity. Ex vivo autoradiographic studies in rats using [125I]beta-CDIT demonstrated high densities of [125I]beta-CDIT binding sites in areas known to be rich in dopaminergic innervation. Because of its high affinity and high selectivity for the dopamine transporter, [125I]beta-CDIT should be a valuable ligand for the exploration of the dopamine transporter with single-photon emission computed tomography.

A new iodinated tropane derivative (beta-CDIT) for in vivo dopamine transporter exploration: comparison with beta-CIT.

SPECT exploration of the dopamine transporter with tropane derivatives such as beta-CIT has already produced very valuable information in humans. However, the high affinity of this tracer for both dopamine and serotonin transporters and its slow in vivo kinetics provide the best images in humans more than 20 h after injection. In order to improve those properties, we performed structural changes in the tropane structure in the phenyl and nitrogen substituents for higher affinity and specificity and obtained a promising ligand, 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(3',4' diclorophenyl)-8-(3-iodoprop-2E-enyl) nortropane (beta-CDIT). This iodinated ligand was characterized in vitro and in vivo in the rat in comparison with beta-CIT. In vitro competition studies revealed that beta-CIT and beta-CDIT similarly inhibited the binding of [3H]GBR 12935 (Ki = 27.5 and 29.0 nM, respectively). In contrast, competition studies with [3H]paroxetine and [3H]nisoxetine showed that beta-CDIT had a lower affinity for the serotonin transporter than beta-CIT (Ki = 50 and 3 nM, respectively) and also a lower affinity for the noradrenaline transporter than beta-CIT (Ki = 500 and 80 nM, respectively). In vivo studies in the rat showed that there was high and rapid uptake of [125I] beta-CDIT in the striatum. In addition, preinjection of GBR 12909 prevented accumulation of this ligand in the striatum by 80%, whereas only a 30% decrease was obtained for [125I] beta-CIT. It seems, therefore, that the combination of aromatic and nitrogen substitution improves the properties of tropane derivatives to provide an exclusive dopamine transporter ligand potentially usable in SPECT.

Age-related changes in phospholipid fatty acid composition and monoaminergic neurotransmission in the hippocampus of rats fed a balanced or an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-deficient diet.

The influence of aging (2, 6, 12, and 24 months) on hippocampal lipid composition and neurochemical markers (endogenous noradrenaline, serotonin levels, monoamine oxidase (MOA) activities) was studied in rats fed a control or an n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-deficient diet. The n-3 PUFA deficiency reduced the 22:6 (n-3) level, compensated by the increase in 22:5 (n-6). However, the difference in 22:6 (n-3) content between control and deficient rats was less between 2 and 12 months and then became stable. There was an overall age-induced decrease in the major phospholipid classes phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylcholine (PC) whereas the minor classes, phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylserine (PS), and sphingomyelin (SM), were greatly increased, regardless of diet. The n-3 PUFA deficiency induced a reduction in the PS level, concomitant with a higher level in MAO-B activity as compared to control rats at the age of 24 months. The age-related evolution of the MAO-B activity was parallel with that of noradrenaline levels in both dietary groups. The noradrenaline and serotonin levels were modified according to age but without effect of the n-3 PUFA deficiency. Results showed that the hippocampus sustained specific age-induced modifications in lipid composition and neurotransmission factors, often with a transition period between 6 and 12 months.