5-HT3 receptor antagonists inhibit the response of kappa opioid receptors in the morphine-induced Straub tail [corrected].

We used the morphine-induced Straub tail to examine the actions of a 5-HT3 receptor antagonist and kappa opioid receptor agonist. The kappa opioid receptor agonist, U-50,488H (4-16 mg/kg i.p.), produced a dose-related inhibition of the tail elevation induced by morphine (10 mg/kg s.c.) in ICR male mice. ICS-205-930 (3 and 10 mg/kg i.p.) and zacopride (0.3 and 1 mg/kg i.p.), 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, attenuated the inhibitory effect of U-50,488H in a dose-dependent manner. ICS-205-930 and zacopride did not inhibit the morphine-induced Straub tail. These observations suggest that the actions of kappa opioid receptors may be modulated by 5-HT3 receptors in the morphine-induced Straub tail.

5-Hydroxytryptamine receptor subtypes.

Significant advances in the molecular pharmacological analysis of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor subtypes occurred in the 1980's. To a significant degree, this progress resulted from 2 independent approaches: molecular biology and molecular pharmacology. This review focuses on the pharmacological data derived from radioligand binding studies. At the present time, 5-HT receptor subtypes are often categorized into at least 3 major "families" as well as a few "orphan" receptors that cannot yet be placed into the major categories. Each "family" consists of multiple receptor subtypes which share similarities in their molecular biological, pharmacological, biochemical and physiological properties. In order to provide a comparative pharmacological analysis of the 7 most extensively characterized 5-HT receptor subtypes, potency information is presented on the 30 pharmacological agents that have been, to date, studied most extensively in the published literature.

The effect of ondansetron on gastric emptying in the conscious rat.

The 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron (GR38032F) enhanced the action of a protein-rich solution in delaying gastric emptying in the conscious gastric fistula rat, but had no effect on the emptying of isotonic or hypertonic saline, acid or FOY-305 which delays emptying by release of cholecystokinin (CCK). The specific CCK-A antagonist (L-364,718) increased gastric emptying of protein-rich meals. L364,718 also increased emptying in the presence of ondansetron. They indicate that protein-rich meals release both CCK and 5-hydroxytryptamine which act in different ways to control gastric motility.

Stimulation and inhibition of adenylyl cyclase by distinct 5-hydroxytryptamine receptors.

5-Hydroxytryptamine (serotonin, 5-HT) stimulates basal adenylyl cyclase activity in membranes from guinea pig or rat hippocampi, but 5-HT inhibits forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity in these same membranes. The opposing effects of 5-HT on adenylyl cyclase activity indicate that distinct 5-HT receptors, positively and negatively coupled to adenylyl cyclase, are present in these membranes. Stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity is mediated by two distinct 5-HT receptors. The receptor with lower affinity for 5-HT, designated as RL, is apparently homologous with a 5-HT receptor present in rat collicular membranes, but it is not homologous with the stimulatory receptor characterized in neuroblastoma hybrid cell (NCB-20) membranes. The receptor with higher affinity for 5-HT is homologous with the 5-HT1A binding site. The magnitude of stimulation by 5-HT1A receptors is variable with respect to stimulation by RL and is sometimes completely absent. Inhibition of forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity, in membranes from either rat or guinea pig hippocampus or rat cortex, is a functional correlate of the 5-HT1A binding site. This inhibitory response was used to determine the pharmacological characteristics of drugs that reportedly have high affinity for 5-HT1A binding sites, such as 1-[2-(4-aminophenyl)ethyl]-4-(3-trifluoromethylphenyl)piperazine (PAPP) and (-)pindolol. PAPP inhibited adenylyl cyclase activity in guinea pig hippocampal membranes with an EC50 value of 27 +/- 3 nM. (-)Pindolol was a partial agonist in inhibiting adenylyl cyclase activity in guinea pig and rat hippocampal membranes. Because of the low intrinsic activity of (-)pindolol, it was tested as an antagonist of the inhibition produced by 5-HT1A receptor agonists in rat hippocampal membranes. The Kb of (-)pindolol was 40 nM as measured by a Schild plot. (-)Propranolol was a simple competitive antagonist at the rat hippocampal receptor with a Kb value of 550 nM. In summary, guinea pig and rat hippocampal membranes possess two distinct populations of 5-HT receptors, a 5-HT receptor that mediates inhibition of adenylyl cyclase activity and is pharmacologically homologous with the 5-HT1A binding site, and a stimulatory receptor that appears to be homologous with the 5-HT receptor first characterized in infant rat collicular membranes.

Antagonist properties of d-LSD at 5-hydroxytryptamine2 receptors.

The hallucinogenic agent d-lysergic acid diethylamide (d-LSD) interacts with a number of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine [5-HT]) receptor subtypes in the central nervous system. It has been hypothesized that hallucinosis is produced by agonist activity at 5-HT2 receptors. There exist, however, numerous data from radioligand binding, cellular, smooth muscle, and behavioral studies that suggest that d-LSD is a potent 5-HT2 antagonist. These data are reviewed in this report. In addition, d-LSD displays agonist activity at 5-HT1A and 5-HT1C receptor subtypes, as determined in biochemical studies. At the present time, agonist interactions at 5-HT1C receptors, as opposed to 5-HT2 receptors, appears to be a more likely "common mechanism of action" of hallucinogenic agents.

Enhancement of human natural killer cell cytotoxicity by serotonin: role of non-T/CD16+ NK cells, accessory monocytes, and 5-HT1A receptors.

Serotonin (10(-4) - 10(-7) M) augmented natural killer cell cytotoxicity (NKCC) of human CD16+/non-T lymphocytes in vitro against the NK-sensitive target cells K 562 erythroleukemic, Molt-4 lymphoma, Chang liver cells, and against EBV-transformed Daudi B-lymphoblastoid target cells by a mechanism of action involving a prostaglandin-and IL-1-independent accessory function of monocytes. No evidence for the production of intermediary, NK-enhancing cytokines by serotonin was obtained, suggesting a cell-to-cell-mediated interaction between monocytes and NK cells as a plausible mechanism of action for the NK-augmenting effect. Monocytes recovered by counter-current centrifugal elutriation but not monocytes recovered by adherence reconstituted the effect of serotonin when added to nonadherent NK cells. NK-enhancing effects of serotonin were mimicked by two 5-HT1A-type serotonin receptor agonists, 8-OH-DPAT and (+)-ALK. The development of NKCC in response to serotonin could be resolved into (i) an induction phase, dependent on the presence of accessory monocytes and serotonin, and (ii) an effector phase, independent of the presence of monocytes or serotonin. Serotonin-activated MNC continued to exert augmented cytotoxicity for at least 8 hr after the removal of serotonin and monocytes. In several experiments, serotonin-activated NK cells killed greater than 75% of K 562 target cells even at low effector to target cell ratios and low baseline NKCC. We suggest that serotonin may have a role in nonspecific tumor defence by regulating an earlier unrecognized interplay between monocytes and NK cells.

Norfenfluramine, the fenfluramine metabolite, provides stimulus control: evidence for serotonergic mediation.

Nine male rats were trained to discriminate 1.4 mg/kg norfenfluramine (NF) from its vehicle using a two-lever, food-motivated, operant discrimination task. Once trained, the rats showed a dose-dependent decrease in responding on the NF-correct lever following decreased doses of NF (ED50 = 0.71 mg/kg). Administration of 2.0 mg/kg fenfluramine (FEN) produced 100% responding on the NF-correct lever and decreasing doses of FEN, likewise, produced a dose-dependent decrease in responding on the NF-correct lever (ED50 = 1.30 mg/kg). Time-course data indicated that NF has a fast onset and a peak effect at 20-60 min after administration. Analysis of the time-course data provided a half-life of approximately 8 hr. In contrast, FEN did not show the rapid onset that was observed with NF. However, NF had a similar peak effect and half-life. These results indicate a pharmacological similarity between NF and FEN. However, the difference in onset of action suggests a possible difference between the parent drug and its metabolite. The serotonergic agonists mCPP, DOI, 5-MeODMT and LSD generalized to 1.4 mg/kg NF, whereas neither TFMPP nor 8-OHDPAT generalized to NF. The dopaminergic agonist AMPH also did not generalize to NF. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Serotonin stimulates DNA synthesis in fibroblasts acting through 5-HT1B receptors coupled to a Gi-protein.

Growth factors can be divided into two classes which act through distinct signal transduction pathways. One class including epidermal growth factor, platelet derived growth factor and fibroblast growth factor activates receptor tyrosine kinases, and the second class, including thrombin, bombesin, bradykinin and vasopressin activates a phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C through GTP-binding proteins which can be inactivated by pertussis toxin. In Chinese hamster lung fibroblasts, thrombin-induced mitogenicity seems to correlate well with phospholipase C activation and both events are sensitive to pertussis toxin. Thrombin, like the other mitogens in this class, simultaneously inhibits adenylate cyclase. This involves an inhibitory G protein (Gi), a well established pertussis toxin substrate. The relative contributions of the two signalling pathways to mitogenicity has not been evaluated so far. We report here that the neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine), a contracting agent and mitogen for smooth muscle cells, activates phospholipase C, inhibits adenylate cyclase and stimulates DNA synthesis in fibroblasts. These events are sensitive to pertussis toxin. We show that the mitogenicity of 5-hydroxytryptamine can be uncoupled from phospholipase C activation that is mediated by 5-HT2 receptors, but correlates perfectly with inhibition of adenylate cyclase through 5-HT1B receptor. We propose that inhibition of adenylate cyclase or activation of an undefined effector system by Gi is important in 5-hydroxytryptamine induced DNA synthesis and contributes to the strong mitogenicity of the other members of this family of growth factors.