Signal transduction and functional selectivity of F15599, a preferential post-synaptic 5-HT1A receptor agonist.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Activation of post-synaptic 5-HT(1A) receptors may provide enhanced therapy against depression. We describe the signal transduction profile of F15599, a novel 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: F15599 was compared with a chemical congener, F13714, and with (+)8-OH-DPAT in models of signal transduction in vitro and ex vivo. KEY RESULTS: F15599 was highly selective for 5-HT(1A) receptors in binding experiments and in [(35)S]-GTPgammaS autoradiography of rat brain, where F15599 increased labelling in regions expressing 5-HT(1A) receptors. In cell lines expressing h5-HT(1A) receptors, F15599 more potently stimulated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) phosphorylation, compared with G-protein activation, internalization of h5-HT(1A) receptors or inhibition of cAMP accumulation. F13714, (+)8-OH-DPAT and 5-HT displayed a different rank order of potency for these responses. F15599 stimulated [(35)S]-GTPgammaS binding more potently in frontal cortex than raphe. F15599, unlike 5-HT, more potently and efficaciously stimulated G(alphai) than G(alphao) activation. In rat prefrontal cortex (a region expressing post-synaptic 5-HT(1A) receptors), F15599 potently activated ERK1/2 phosphorylation and strongly induced c-fos mRNA expression. In contrast, in raphe regions (expressing pre-synaptic 5-HT(1A) receptors) F15599 only weakly or did not induce c-fos mRNA expression. Finally, despite its more modest affinity in vitro, F15599 bound to 5-HT(1A) receptors in vivo almost as potently as F13714. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: F15599 showed a distinctive activation profiles for 5-HT(1A) receptor-mediated signalling pathways, unlike those of reference agonists and consistent with functional selectivity at 5-HT(1A) receptors. In rat, F15599 potently activated signalling in prefrontal cortex, a feature likely to underlie its beneficial effects in models of depression and cognition.

F15063, a potential antipsychotic with D2/D3 antagonist, 5-HT 1A agonist and D4 partial agonist properties. I. In vitro receptor affinity and efficacy profile.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Combining 5-HT(1A) receptor activation with dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptor blockade should improve negative symptoms and cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. We describe the in vitro profile of F15063 (N-[(2,2-dimethyl-2,3-dihydro-benzofuran-7-yloxy)ethyl]-3-(cyclopent-1-enyl)-benzylamine). EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: F15063 was characterised in tests of binding affinity and in cellular models of signal transduction at monoamine receptors. KEY RESULTS: Affinities (receptor and pK(i) values) of F15063 were: rD(2) 9.38; hD(2L) 9.44; hD(2S) 9.25; hD(3) 8.95; hD(4) 8.81; h5-HT(1A) 8.37. F15063 had little affinity (40-fold lower than D(2)) at other targets. F15063 antagonised dopamine-activated G-protein activation at hD(2), rD(2) and hD(3) receptors with potency (pK (b) values 9.19, 8.29 and 8.74 in [(35)S]GTP gamma S binding experiments) similar to haloperidol. F15063 did not exhibit any hD(2) receptor agonism, even in tests of ERK1/2 phosphorylation and G-protein activation in cells with high receptor expression. In contrast, like (+/-)8-OH-DPAT, F15063 efficaciously activated h5-HT(1A) (E(max) 70%, pEC(50) 7.57) and r5-HT(1A) receptors (52%, 7.95) in tests of [(35)S]GTP gamma S binding, cAMP accumulation (90%, 7.12) and ERK1/2 phosphorylation (93%, 7.13). F15063 acted as a partial agonist for [(35)S]GTP gamma S binding at hD(4) (29%, 8.15) and h5-HT(1D) receptors (35%, 7.68). In [(35)S]GTP gamma S autoradiography, F15063 activated G-proteins in hippocampus, cortex and septum (regions enriched in 5-HT(1A) receptors), but antagonised quinelorane-induced activation of D(2)/D(3) receptors in striatum. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: F15063 antagonised dopamine D(2)/D(3) receptors, a property underlying its antipsychotic-like activity, whereas activation of 5-HT(1A) and D(4) receptors mediated its actions in models of negative symptoms and cognitive deficits of schizophrenia (see companion papers).

Large-amplitude 5-HT1A receptor activation: a new mechanism of profound, central analgesia.

We report the discovery of F 13640 and evidence suggesting this agent to produce powerful, broad-spectrum analgesia by novel molecular and neuroadaptative mechanisms. F 13640 stimulates G(alphaomicron) protein coupling to 5-HT(1A) receptors to an extent unprecedented by selective, non-native 5-HT(1A) ligands. Fifteen minutes after its injection in normal rats, F 13640 (0.01-2.5 mg/kg) decreases the vocalization threshold to paw pressure; 15 min upon injection in rats that are exposed to formalin-induced tonic nociception, F 13640 inhibits pain behavior. The initial hyperalgesia induced by 0.63 mg/kg F 13640 was followed, 8 hrs later, by paradoxical hypo-algesia; 5 mg/kg of morphine produces the opposite effects (i.e., hypo-algesia followed by hyper-algesia). Repeated F 13640 injections cause an increase in the basal vocalization threshold and a reduction of F 13640-produced hyperalgesia; in these conditions, morphine causes basal hyperalgesia and antinociceptive tolerance. Continuous two-week infusion of F 13640 (0.63 mg/day) exerts little effect on the threshold in normal rats, but markedly reduces analgesic self-administration in arthritic rats. F 13640 infusion also decreases allodynic responses to tactile and thermal stimulations in rats sustaining spinal cord or sciatic nerve injury. In these models of chronic nociceptive and neuropathic pain, the analgesia afforded by F 13640 consistently surpasses that of morphine (5 mg/day), imipramine (2.5 mg/day), ketamine (20 mg/day) and gabapentin (10 mg/day). Very-high-efficacy 5-HT(1A) receptor activation constitutes a novel mechanism of central analgesia that grows rather than decays with chronicity, that is amplified by nociceptive stimulation, and that may uniquely relieve persistent nociceptive and neuropathic pains.

5-HT1A receptor activation and antidepressant-like effects: F 13714 has high efficacy and marked antidepressant potential.

To examine further the hypothesis that the magnitude of the intrinsic activity of agonists at 5-HT1A receptors determines the magnitude of their psychotropic activity, we studied the relationship between the maximal receptor activation produced by various 5-HT1A receptor ligands and their antidepressant-like effects (i.e., decreased immobility in the forced swimming test in rats). Using three different in vitro assays suitable to measure differences among high, intermediate, and low efficacy 5-HT1A receptor agonists, ligands were identified with intrinsic activities ranging from low-negative (i.e., the inverse agonist N-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-(2-pyridinyl)cyclohexane-carboxamide (WAY 100635)) to high-positive (i.e., 3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl-(4-fluoro-4-[[(5-methyl-6-methylamino-pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-amino]-methyl]-piperidin-1-yl-methanone (F 13714)). In addition, novel compounds with intermediate intrinsic activity, like buspirone, but with high selectivity for 5-HT1A receptors, unlike buspirone, were identified. The maximal effects of the 5-HT1A receptor ligands in the forced swimming test correlated positively (rS=0.91, P<0.005) with the rank order of their intrinsic activity at 5-HT1A receptors. This relationship constitutes evidence that the magnitude of the psychotropic activity of 5-HT1A receptor ligands is a positive function of their intrinsic activity at the receptor, and suggests that F 13714, which had maximal effects in the forced swimming test significantly larger than any of the other compounds examined here, did so because of its higher intrinsic activity at 5-HT1A receptors.

Agonist, antagonist, and inverse agonist properties of antipsychotics at human recombinant 5-HT(1A) receptors expressed in HeLa cells.

Agonist and antagonist properties of antipsychotics at human (h) recombinant 5-hydroxytryptamine (h5-HT(1A)) receptor have been examined previously in transfected Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells using 5'-O-(3-[(35)S]thio)-triphosphate ([(35)S] GTP gamma S) binding. Na(+)-dependent [35S] GTP gamma S binding to membranes from human epithelioid carcinoma (HeLa) cells, expressing 500 fmol/mg protein of h5-HT(1A) receptor (HA7 cells), appears suitable to characterize not only agonist and antagonist properties of 5-HT(1A) receptor ligands, but also inverse agonist properties. We therefore examined agonist, antagonist, and inverse agonist activity of antipsychotics at h5-HT(1A) receptor in HA7 cells. Some antipsychotics had agonist activity and stimulated [(35)S] GTP gamma S binding with the following order of efficacy: nemonapride>ziprasidone>clozapine>ocaperidone. Tiospirone and trans-5-chloro-2-methyl-2,3,3a,12b-tetrahydro-1H-dibenz[2,3:6,7,5]-oxepino-[4,5c]pyrrole (ORG 5222), were more potent h5-HT(1A) receptor antagonists than raclopride, olanzapine, and risperidone. Haloperidol, chlorpromazine, thioridazine, pimozide, and sertindole showed Na(+)-dependent inverse agonist activity at h5-HT(1A) receptor that could be antagonized by (s)-N-tert-butyl-3-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine-1-yl)-2-phenylpropanamide [(s)-WAY 100135]. These results are further evidence that interactions with h5-HT(1A) receptors could play a role in the pharmacological profile of certain antipsychotics, and that Na(+) affects the ability to detect inverse agonist activity at h5-HT(1A) receptors, likely by influencing receptor precoupling. Also, the manner in which compounds interact with 5-HT(1A) receptors appears to be related to their K(b)/K(i) ratio.

Effects of kainic acid lesioning on poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) activity in the rat striatum in vivo.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is activated in glutamate-induced toxicity of neurons in culture (Cosi et al., 1994). Since injection of the excitatory amino acid, kainic acid (KA) into the rat striatum induces a delayed neuronal death, the effects of this in vivo excitotoxin lesioning procedure on striatal PARP activity was investigated. PARP activity was measured in striatal extracts both in the absence ("endogenous" activity) and presence ("total" activity) of exogenously-added fragmented DNA. KA (5nmols/1microl) produced significant and time-dependent changes in striatal PARP activity, compared to saline-injected control animals: no changes at 6h after intrastriatal KA, a 68% and 48% decrease in endogenous and total PARP activity respectively at 12h, a doubling in endogenous PARP activity at 24h, and a 382% and 60% increase in endogenous and total activities at 1 week after KA. PARP cleavage was not detected at any time point. These results suggest a participation of PARP in KA-induced toxicity in the brain in vivo.

The putative <> 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist, WAY 100635, has inverse agonist properties at cloned human 5-HT(1A) receptors.

Agonist binding to G protein-coupled receptors induces the formation of a receptor-G protein complex and subsequent guanosine 5'-diphosphate/guanosine 5'-triphosphate (GDP/GTP) exchange. Some receptors, however, form receptor-G protein complexes and promote GDP/GTP exchange even when not occupied by agonists. Such receptors preferentially activate pertussis toxin-sensitive G proteins (i.e., G(i)/G(o)), and the interactions of receptors and G proteins are affected by monovalent cations (most notably Na(+)), both in the occupied and unoccupied state. We investigated the effects of Na(+) on the intrinsic activity of 5-hydroxytryptamine(1A) (5-HT(1A)) receptor ligands, measured as maximal effect (E(MAX)), using guanosine 5'-0-(3-[35S]thio)-triphosphate ([35S]GTPgammaS) binding to membranes prepared from human epithelioid carcinoma (HeLa) cells, expressing 500 fmol/mg protein of cloned human 5-HT(1A) receptor (HA7 cells). A decrease of the NaCl concentration decreased the maximal effect of serotonin, increased basal [35S]GTPgammaS binding, and increased the negative intrinsic activity of spiperone and N-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]-N-(2-pyridinyl)cyclohexaneca rboxamide (WAY 100635). This ability of WAY 100635 to decrease basal [35S]GTPgammaS binding was antagonized by (s)-N-tert-butyl-3-(4-(2-methoxyphenyl)piperazine-1-yl)-2-phenylpropa namide ((s)-WAY 100135) (pA(2)=7.77). Further, WAY 100635 was able to antagonize carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT)-stimulated [35S]GTPgammaS binding with a pA(2) of 9.9, in standard NaCl conditions, and of 9.7, in the absence of NaCl. Changes in membrane concentration did not affect the ability of WAY 100635 to decrease [35S]GTPgammaS binding. WAY 100635 did not affect basal [35S]GTPgammaS binding to membranes from untransfected HeLa cells. Pertussis toxin (200 ng/ml) prevented WAY 100635 and spiperone to decrease [35S]GTPgammaS binding, showing that their effects were mediated by G proteins of the G(i)/G(o) family. In conclusion, the constitutive and stimulated activity of human 5-HT(1A) receptors expressed in HA7 cells is sodium-dependent, which allowed to confirm the 5-HT(1A) inverse agonist properties of spiperone, and to show that WAY 100635 is an inverse agonist at 5-HT(1A) receptors that inhibits basal [35S]GTPgammaS binding to a lesser extent than spiperone. [35S]GTPgammaS binding to membranes from HA7 cells under low NaCl conditions appears to be especially suitable to evidence and pharmacologically analyze the inverse agonist properties of 5-HT(1A) receptor ligands.

Correlation between low/high affinity ratios for 5-HT(1A) receptors and intrinsic activity.

G protein-coupled receptors exist in G protein-coupled and -uncoupled forms that exhibit high and low affinity for agonists, respectively. Consequently, affinity differences of a compound for the high vs. the low affinity state of a receptor have been used to estimate its intrinsic activity at that receptor. We examined the affinity of a series of compounds for 5-hydroxytryptamine(1A) (5-HT(1A)) receptor sites labeled with 0.2 nM [3H](+/-)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin ([3H]8-OH-DPAT) (high affinity), or with 0.25 nM [3H]4-(2'-methoxy-)-phenyl-1-[2'-(N-2"-pyridyl)-p-fluorobenzamido] eth yl-piperazine ([3H]p-MPPF) in the presence of 100 microM guanylylimidodiphosphate (Gpp(NH)p) (low affinity) in rat hippocampal membranes. For a variety of 5-HT(1A) receptor ligands, the low/high affinity ratio (ranging from 110 for 5-HT to 0.12 for spiperone) was in good agreement with their reported intrinsic activity. Positive rank correlations were found between low/high affinity ratios and intrinsic activities (E(max) values) reported in the literature. The high efficacy 5-HT(1A) receptor agonists, 1[2-(4-fluorobenzoylamino)ethyl]-4-(7-methoxynaphtyl)piperaz ine (S-14506) and dihydroergotamine, however, had similar, high affinity for both G protein-coupled and -uncoupled forms of the receptor. The Hill coefficients for both compounds were markedly higher than 1.0, suggesting that positive cooperativity could be responsible for the unexpected results. The 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist activity of dihydroergotamine and S-14506, assessed by measuring the inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation, was blocked completely by pertussis toxin, reinforcing the suggested involvement of an inhibitory G protein in their effects. Taken together, the results suggest that, although the low/high affinity ratio of a ligand for 5-HT(1A) receptors generally covaries with its intrinsic activity, dihydroergotamine and S-14506 may interact with 5-HT(1A) receptors in a manner different from that of other 5-HT(1A) receptor agonists. Their effects, however, appear to be G(i) protein-dependent.

Novel derivatives of 2-pyridinemethylamine as selective, potent, and orally active agonists at 5-HT1A receptors.

The aim of this work was to improve the oral bioavailability of a recently discovered, novel structural class of 5-HT1A receptor agonists: aryl-{[4-(6-R-pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-amino]-methyl}-piperidin-1 -yl-metha none. Incorporation of a fluorine atom in the beta-position to the amino function in the side chain led to analogues that exhibited, in general, enhanced and long-lasting 5-HT1A agonist activity in rats after oral administration. Location of the fluorine atom at the C-4 position of the piperidine ring was the most favorable, and among the various substituents tested, the ability of the fluorine was unique in improving the oral activity of this family of ligands. Thus, the derivatives 39, 46, and 61 bound with higher affinity and selectivity to 5-HT1A receptors (versus dopaminergic D2 and adrenergic alpha1 receptors) and displayed more potent 5-HT1A agonist activity in vitro and in vivo than their C-4 desfluoro analogues. To examine the relationship between the conformation of the pharmacophore and the level of agonistic activity of this type of ligand, we synthesized a series of 3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl-(4-fluoro-4{[(5-(H or CH3)-6-R-pyridin-2-ylmethyl)-amino]-methyl}-piperidin-1-yl-+ ++methanone derivatives and found that the combination of a 5-methyl and a 6-methylamino substituent on the pyridine ring synergistically affected their 5-HT1A agonist properties. Thus, the 3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl-(4-fluoro-4{[(5-methyl-6-methylamino-pyridin- 2-ylmethyl)-amino]-methyl}-piperidin-1-yl-methanone 40 behaved as a more potent 5-HT1A receptor agonist in vitro and in vivo than its 5-unsubstituted analogue 38. The antidepressant potential of the lead compounds 40, 45, and 54 was examined by means of the forced swimming test (FST) in rats. The results indicated that, after a single oral administration, these compounds inhibited immobility in the FST more potently and more extensively than the clinically used antidepressant imipramine. Thus, 40, 45, and 54 are potent, orally active 5-HT1A receptor agonists with marked antidepressant potential.

Implication of poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) in neurodegeneration and brain energy metabolism. Decreases in mouse brain NAD+ and ATP caused by MPTP are prevented by the PARP inhibitor benzamide.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) is a DNA binding protein that uses nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) as a substrate. Evidence from in vitro studies on nonneuronal cells in culture have shown that when fully activated by free radical-induced DNA damage, PARP depletes cellular NAD+ and consequently adenosine triphosphate (ATP) levels within a matter of minutes, and that this depletion is associated with a cell death that can be prevented by PARP inhibitors. The present in vivo study utilized the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated mouse, a model of central nigrostriatal dopamine neurotoxicity that recapitulates certain features of Parkinson's disease (PD), and one in which we have previously shown PARP inhibitors to be protective, to examine whether MPTP acutely caused region- and time-dependent changes in levels of NAD+ and ATP in the brain in vivo and whether such effects were modified by treatments with neuroprotective doses of the PARP inhibitor benzamide. The results confirm that MPTP reduces striatal ATP levels, as previously reported by Chan et al., show that MPTP causes a regionally-selective (striatal and midbrain) loss of NAD+, and indicate that the PARP inhibitor benzamide can prevent these losses without interfering with MPTP-induced striatal dopamine release. These findings suggest an involvement of PARP in the control of brain energy metabolism during neurotoxic insult, provide further evidence in support of the participation of PARP in MPTP-induced neurotoxicity in vivo and suggest that PARP inhibitors might be beneficial in the treatment of PD.

Design and synthesis of a series of 6-substituted-2-pyridinylmethylamine derivatives as novel, high-affinity, selective agonists at 5-HT1A receptors.

A search for novel, selective agonists with high intrinsic activity at the 5-HT1A subtype of serotonin (5-HT) receptors was undertaken. Mechanistic and thermodynamic considerations led to the design of 6-substituted-2-pyridinylmethylamine as a potential 5-HT1A pharmacophore. Various adducts derived from the 6-substituted-2-pyridinylmethylamine moiety were tested for their affinity at 5-HT1A, alpha1-adrenergic, and D2-dopaminergic receptors. Compounds with high affinity for 5-HT1A receptors (pKi >/= 8) were examined for agonist properties by measuring their ability to inhibit forskolin-stimulated cAMP production in HA7 cells (i.e., HeLa cells permanently transfected with the h5-HT1A receptor gene and expressing the h5-HT1A receptor protein). Several compounds of the type aryl¿4-[(6-substituted-pyridin-2-ylmethylamino)methyl]piperidin -1-yl¿ methanone had nanomolar affinity for 5-HT1A binding sites and were more than 500-fold selective with respect to alpha1 and D2 sites. Importantly, their 5-HT1A agonist properties were demonstrated in HA7 cells where they behaved as potent inhibitors of cAMP accumulation. In particular, (3, 4-dichlorophenyl)¿4-[(6-oxazol-5-ylpyridin-2-ylmethylamin o)methyl]pip eridin-1-yl¿methanone (70) and (3, 4-dichlorophenyl)¿4-[(6-azetidinopyridin-2-ylmethylamino)met hyl]piper idin-1-yl¿methanone (36) appeared to be more potent than, and at least as efficacious as, the prototypical 5-HT1A agonist (+/-)-8-OH-DPAT. SAR studies revealed that the pyridine nitrogen atom and the nature and the position of the substituents on the pyridine ring were critically involved in the ability of the compounds to recognize and activate 5-HT1A receptors. Structural modifications of the nonpharmacophoric part of the molecule showed, however, that the entire structure was required for affinity at 5-HT1A binding sites.

Decreases in mouse brain NAD+ and ATP induced by 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1, 2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP): prevention by the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor, benzamide.

Inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), including benzamide, protect against 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3, 6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-induced dopamine neurotoxicity in vivo [Cosi et al., Brain Res. 729 (1996) 264-269]. In vitro, the activation of PARP by free radical damaged DNA has been shown to be correlated with rapid decreases in the cellular levels of its substrate nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), and ATP. Here, we investigated in vivo whether MPTP acutely caused region- and time-dependent changes in brain levels of NAD+, ATP, ADP and AMP in C57BL/6N mice killed by head-focused microwave irradiation, and whether such effects were modified by treatments with neuroprotective doses of benzamide. At 1 h after MPTP injections (4x20 mg/kg i.p.), NAD+ was reduced by 11-13% in the striatum and ventral midbrain, but not in the frontal cortex. The ATP/ADP ratio was reduced by 10% and 32% in the striatum and cortex, respectively, but was unchanged in the midbrain. All of these regional changes were prevented by co-treatment with benzamide (2x160 mg/kg i.p.), which by itself did not alter regional levels of NAD+, ATP, ADP or AMP in control mice. In a time-course study, a single dose of MPTP (30 mg/kg i.p.) resulted in maximal and transient increases in striatal levels of MPP+ and 3-methoxytyramine (+540%) at 0.5-2 h, followed by maximal and coincidental decreases in NAD+ (-10%), ATP (-11%) and dopamine content (-39%) at 3 h. Benzamide (1x640 mg/kg i. p., 30 min before MPTP) partially reduced MPP+ levels by 30% with little or no effect on MPTP or MPDP+ levels, did not affect or even slightly potentiated the increase in 3-methoxytyramine, and completely prevented the losses in striatal NAD+, ATP and dopamine content, without by itself causing any changes in these latter parameters in control mice. These results (1) confirm that MPTP reduces striatal ATP levels [Chan et al., J. Neurochem. 57 (1991) 348-351.]; (2) show that MPTP causes a regionally-dependent (striatal and midbrain) loss of NAD+; (3) indicate that the PARP inhibitor benzamide can prevent these losses without interfering with MPTP-induced striatal dopamine release; and (4) provide further evidence to suggest an involvement of PARP in MPTP-induced neurotoxicity in vivo.

F 11440, a potent, selective, high efficacy 5-HT1A receptor agonist with marked anxiolytic and antidepressant potential.

F 11440 (4-methyl-2-[4-(4-(pyrimidin-2-yl)-piperazino)-butyl]-2H, 4H-1,2,4-triazin-3,5-dione) was the outcome of a research effort guided by the hypothesis that the magnitude of the intrinsic activity of agonists at 5-HT1A receptors determines the magnitude of their antidepressant and anxiolytic-like effects. The affinity of F 11440 for 5-HT1A binding sites (pKi, 8.33) was higher than that of buspirone (pKi, 7.50), and somewhat lower than that of flesinoxan (pKi, 8.91). In vivo, F 11440 was 4- to 20-fold more potent than flesinoxan, and 30- to 60-fold more potent than buspirone, in exerting 5-HT1A agonist activity at pre- and postsynaptic receptors in rats (measured by, for example, its ability to decrease hippocampal extracellular serotonin (5-HT) levels and to increase plasma corticosterone levels, respectively). F 11440 did not have detectable antidopaminergic activity (unlike buspirone, which inhibited all of the directly observable behavioral effects of methylphenidate in rats), showed no evidence of antihistaminergic activity (unlike flesinoxan, which protected against the effects of a histamine aerosol in guinea pigs), and had a 70-fold separation between its 5-HT1A agonist and alpha-1 adrenergic antagonist properties (measured as the ability to inhibit the methoxamineinduced increase in blood pressure in rats), unlike flesinoxan, which showed a <3-fold separation. In HeLa cells expressing human 5-HT1A receptors, F 11440 decreased the forskolin-induced increase in AMP, and, based on its maximal effect, was found to have an intrinsic activity of 1.0 relative to that of 5-HT, which was significantly higher than that of buspirone (0.49), ipsapirone (0.46) and flesinoxan (0.93). Consistent with the aforementioned hypothesis, F 11440 produced anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like effects in animal models (i.e., increased punished responding in a pigeon conflict procedure and decreased immobility in a rat forced swimming test, respectively) that were more substantial than those of buspirone, ipsapirone and flesinoxan. Thus, F 11440, shown here to be a potent, selective, high efficacy 5-HT1A receptor agonist, appears to have the potential to exert marked anxiolytic and antidepressant activity in humans.

5-HT1A receptor agonist properties of the antipsychotic, nemonapride: comparison with bromerguride and clozapine.

5-HT1A receptor agonists are thought to enhance the antipsychotic-like effects of dopamine D2 receptor antagonists while reducing their potential to produce extrapyramidal side effects. Thus, 5-HT1A receptor agonist properties of mixed 5-HT1A receptor agonists/D2 receptor antagonists might be of clinical importance. The antipsychotics, clozapine and nemonapride, and the putative antipsychotic, bromerguride, have intermediate to high affinity for 5-HT1A receptors. The present study examined the 5-HT1A receptor agonist activity of nemonapride and bromerguride, in comparison with clozapine, which has partial 5-HT1A receptor agonist properties in vitro. Here, 5-HT1A receptor activation was examined in vitro, by measuring forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation in HeLa cells expressing human 5-HT1A receptors, and in vivo, by using microdialysis to measure the extracellular concentration of hippocampal 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) in rats. Nemonapride markedly decreased both forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation and the extracellular concentration of 5-HT; both effects were antagonized by the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, N-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-(2-pyridinyl) cyclohexanecarboxamide (WAY100635). In contrast, clozapine only partially decreased forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation and extracellular 5-HT, and only its effects on cAMP accumulation were attenuated by WAY100635. Bromerguride decreased neither forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation nor extracellular 5-HT; instead, it antagonized the decrease of cAMP accumulation produced by 5-HT and the decrease of extracellular 5-HT produced by the 5-HT1A agonist (+/-)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT). The selective D2 receptor antagonist, raclopride, affected neither forskolin-stimulated cAMP in vitro nor extracellular 5-HT in vivo. Thus, in contrast with clozapine and bromerguride, only the novel antipsychotic, nemonapride, exhibited marked 5-HT1A receptor agonist properties both in vitro and in vivo; conceivably, these properties may play a role in its preclinical and clinical effects.

Benzamide, an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, attenuates methamphetamine-induced dopamine neurotoxicity in the C57B1/6N mouse.

Previous studies have indicated that the activation of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), an enzyme involved in DNA plasticity-related phenomena, is an early event occurring in glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in vitro, and that inhibitors of PARP, including benzamide, are protective against both glutamate- and methamphetamine (METH)-induced neurotoxicity in vitro. To evaluate a central neuroprotective potential of benzamide in vivo, the present study examined the effect of benzamide on the nigrostriatal dopamine toxicity (i.e., long-lasting striatal dopamine depletion) induced by METH in the C57B1/6N mouse. Intraperitoneal injection of METH at 2-h intervals (4 injections of 5 mg/kg, 4 injections of 10 mg/kg, or 2 injections of 20 mg/kg) dose-dependently reduced the levels of striatal dopamine in male C57B1/6N mice by up to 53% at 7 days post-treatment. Administration of benzamide (2 injections of 160 mg/kg spaced by a 4 interval) during the different METH treatment protocols partially and significantly attenuated the METH-induced dopamine depletions. Benzamide (160 mg/kg i.p.) by itself had no acute effect on striatal dopamine metabolism and did not reduce body temperature. The concentrations of benzamide measured in the striatum at different times following this same dose of drug were in a range (0.09-0.64 mM) reported in in vitro studies to be both neuroprotective and effective in inhibiting PARP activity. These results indicate a neuroprotective potential of benzamide in vivo and suggest a role of PARP in METH neurotoxicity.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitors protect against MPTP-induced depletions of striatal dopamine and cortical noradrenaline in C57B1/6 mice.

Treatment of C57B1/6 mice with 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) reduced striatal dopamine and cortical noradrenaline levels by 77-83% and 43-46%, respectively, at 7 days post-treatment. Co-treatments with five different inhibitors of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP), including benzamide, significantly prevented the MPTP-induced catecholamine depletions. Benzamide was present in the striatum, 30 min after single i.p. injection, at low millimolar concentrations known to selectively inhibit PARP in vitro. The protective activities of benzamide and its derivatives paralleled their in vitro efficacies and potencies both as neuroprotective agents and as inhibitors of PARP, while the activity of 1,5-dihydroxyisoquinoline, a structurally-unrelated compound, did not. In naive animals, the PARP inhibitors by themselves did not alter striatal dopamine levels at 7 days post-treatment. However, in acute studies, 1,5-dihydroxyisoquinoline and nicotinamide caused marked alterations in striatal dopamine metabolite levels; on the contrary, benzamide and its amino-derivatives showed little or no effect on dopamine metabolism. These results indicate that, although these compounds might act at other sites in addition to PARP, PARP inhibitors possess neuroprotective potential in vivo and suggest a role for PARP in MPTP neurotoxicity.

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase: early involvement in glutamate-induced neurotoxicity in cultured cerebellar granule cells.

Glutamate neurotoxicity is correlated with an increase of cytosolic free Ca2+. In some cell systems, activation of Ca2+ dependent endonucleases or formation of free radicals can damage DNA and activate the chromatin bound enzyme poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (pADPRP). We have investigated whether pADPRP may be involved in glutamate neurotoxicity in vitro. Cerebellar granule cells at 12 days in culture when treated with a toxic dose of glutamate (100 microM) showed a rapid and transient increase of polyADP-ribose immunoreactivity. Cellular immunostaining was heterogeneous and returned to control levels after washout of glutamate. In the same cell preparations glutamate elicited a marked increase in enzyme protein immunoreactivity which persisted at later times. Non-toxic doses of glutamate did not affect immunostaining. In another set of experiments, pADPRP mRNA was increased 30 min after glutamate. In order to investigate the role of pADPRP in glutamate-mediated neurotoxicity, structurally different inhibitors of pADPRP (3-aminobenzamide, benzamide,3-aminophthalhydrazide) and their inactive analogues (benzoic acid and phthalimide) were tested in this model. Addition of the inhibitors to cultures 60 min before and during the 30 min of glutamate treatment prevented neuronal death by 60-100%, assessed 24 hr later. Glutamate-induced Ca2+ influx was not affected. Inactive analogues failed to afford neuroprotection. These data indicate that not only is pADPRP activated by the early, possibly Ca(2+)-mediated mechanisms initiated by glutamate, but that it might also actively contribute to the subsequent neuronal death.