K+ channel and 5-hydroxytryptamine1A autoreceptor interactions in the rat dorsal raphe nucleus: an in vitro electrophysiological study

Transcriptomic mapping of the 5-HT receptor landscape

Serotonin (5-HT) is crucial for regulating brain functions such as mood, sleep, and cognition. This study presents a comprehensive transcriptomic analysis of 5-HT receptors (Htrs) across ≈4 million cells in the adult mouse brain using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from the Allen Institute. We observed differential transcription patterns of all 14 Htr subtypes, revealing diverse prevalence and distribution across cell classes. Remarkably, we found that 65.84% of cells transcribe RNA of at least one Htr, with frequent co-transcription of multiple Htrs, underscoring the complexity of the 5-HT system even at the single-cell dimension. Leveraging a multiplexed error-robust fluorescence in situ hybridization (MERFISH) dataset provided by Harvard University of ≈10 million cells, we analyzed the spatial distribution of each Htr, confirming previous findings and uncovering novel transcription patterns. To aid in exploring Htr transcription, we provide an online interactive visualizer.

Cannabigerol modulates α2-adrenoceptor and 5-HT1A receptor-mediated electrophysiological effects on dorsal raphe nucleus and locus coeruleus neurons and anxiety behavior in rat

The pharmacological profile of cannabigerol (CBG), which acid form constitutes the main precursor of the most abundant cannabinoids, has been scarcely studied. It has been reported to target α2-adrenoceptor and 5-HT1A receptor. The locus coeruleus (LC) and the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) are the main serotonergic (5-HT) and noradrenergic (NA) areas in the rat brain, respectively. We aimed to study the effect of CBG on the firing rate of LC NA cells and DRN 5-HT cells and on α2-adrenergic and 5-HT1A autoreceptors by electrophysiological techniques in male Sprague-Dawley rat brain slices. The effect of CBG on the novelty-suppressed feeding test (NSFT) and the elevated plus maze test (EPMT) and the involvement of the 5-HT1A receptor was also studied. CBG (30 μM, 10 min) slightly changed the firing rate of NA cells but failed to alter the inhibitory effect of NA (1-100 µM). However, in the presence of CBG the inhibitory effect of the selective α2-adrenoceptor agonist UK14304 (10 nM) was decreased. Perfusion with CBG (30 μM, 10 min) did not change the firing rate of DRN 5-HT cells or the inhibitory effect of 5-HT (100 μM, 1 min) but it reduced the inhibitory effect of ipsapirone (100 nM). CBG failed to reverse ipsapirone-induced inhibition whereas perfusion with the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist WAY100635 (30 nM) completely restored the firing rate of DRN 5-HT cells. In the EPMT, CBG (10 mg/kg, i.p.) significantly increased the percentage of time the rats spent on the open arms and the number of head-dipping but it reduced the anxiety index. In the NSFT, CBG decreased the time latency to eat in the novel environment but it did not alter home-cage consumption. The effect of CBG on the reduction of latency to feed was prevented by pretreatment with WAY100635 (1 mg/kg, i.p.). In conclusion, CBG hinders the inhibitory effect produced by selective α2-adrenoceptor and 5-HT1A receptor agonists on the firing rate of NA-LC and 5-HT-DRN neurons by a yet unknown indirect mechanism in rat brain slices and produces anxiolytic-like effects through 5-HT1A receptor.

Prenatal ethanol exposure causes anxiety-like phenotype and alters synaptic nitric oxide and endocannabinoid signaling in dorsal raphe nucleus of adult male rats

Mood disorders, including anxiety and depression caused by prenatal ethanol exposure (PE) are prevalent conditions in fetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASDs). Prenatal ethanol exposure is associated with persistent dysfunctions of several neurotransmitter systems, including the serotonin (5-HT) system, which plays a major role in mood regulation and stress homeostasis. While PE is known to disrupt the development of the 5-HT system, the cellular mechanisms by which it alters the function of dorsal raphe nucleus (DRn) 5-HT neurons and their synaptic inputs remain unknown. Here, we used a second-trimester binge-drinking pattern PE (two daily gavages of 15% w/v ethanol at 3 g/kg, 5-6 h apart) during gestational days 8 - 20 and measured anxiety-like behaviors of adult male rats using the elevated plus (EPM) and zero (ZM) mazes. We also employed ex-vivo electrophysiological and pharmacological approaches to unravel the mechanisms by which PE alters the excitability and synaptic transmission onto DRn 5-HT neurons. We found that PE enhanced anxiety-like behaviors in adult male rats and induced a persistent activation of DRn 5-HT neurons. The PE-induced activation of DRn 5-HT neurons was largely mediated by potentiation of DRn glutamate synapses, which was caused by activation of the nitrergic system and impaired endocannabinoid signaling. As such, the present study reveals "push-pull" effects of PE on nitrergic and eCB signaling, respectively, which mediate the enhanced activity of DRn 5-HT neurons and could contribute to anxiety-like behaviors observed in animal model of FASD.

Tonic serotonergic input increases the burst firing mode and diminishes the firing rate of reticular thalamic nucleus neurons through 5-HT1A receptors activation in anesthetized rats

The reticular thalamic nucleus (RTn) is a thin shell of GABAergic neurons that covers the dorsal thalamus that regulate the global activity of all thalamic nuclei. RTn controls the flow of information between thalamus and cerebral cortex since it receives glutamatergic information from collaterals of thalamo-cortical (TCs) and cortico-thalamic neurons. It also receives aminergic information from several brain stem nuclei, including serotonergic fibers originated in the dorsal raphe nucleus. RTn neurons express serotonergic receptors including the 5-HT1A subtype, however, the role of this receptor in the RTn electrical activity has been scarcely analyzed. In this work, we recorded in vivo the unitary spontaneous electrical activity of RTn neurons in anesthetized rats; our study aimed to obtain information about the effects of 5-HT1A receptors in RTn neurons. Local application of fluoxetine (a serotonin reuptake inhibitor) increases burst firing index accompanied by a decrease in the basal spiking rate. Local application of different doses of serotonin and 8-OH-DPAT (a specific 5-HT1A receptor agonist) causes a similar response to fluoxetine effects. Local 5-HT1A receptors blockade produces opposite effects and suppresses the effect by 8-OH-DPAT. Our findings indicate the presence of a serotonergic tonic discharge in the RTn that increases the burst firing index and simultaneously decreases the basal spiking frequency through 5-HT1A receptors activation.

Serotonin neurons modulate learning rate through uncertainty

Regulating how fast to learn is critical for flexible behavior. Learning about the consequences of actions should be slow in stable environments, but accelerate when that environment changes. Recognizing stability and detecting change are difficult in environments with noisy relationships between actions and outcomes. Under these conditions, theories propose that uncertainty can be used to modulate learning rates ("meta-learning"). We show that mice behaving in a dynamic foraging task exhibit choice behavior that varied as a function of two forms of uncertainty estimated from a meta-learning model. The activity of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons tracked both types of uncertainty in the foraging task as well as in a dynamic Pavlovian task. Reversible inhibition of serotonin neurons in the foraging task reproduced changes in learning predicted by a simulated lesion of meta-learning in the model. We thus provide a quantitative link between serotonin neuron activity, learning, and decision making.

Key role of the 5-HT1A receptor addressing protein Yif1B in serotonin neurotransmission and SSRI treatment

BACKGROUND

Altered function of serotonin receptor 1A (5-HT1AR) has been consistently implicated in anxiety, major depressive disorder and resistance to antidepressants. Mechanisms by which the function of 5-HT1AR (expressed as an autoreceptor in serotonergic raphe neurons and as a heteroreceptor in serotonin [5-HT] projection areas) is altered include regulation of its expression, but 5-HT1AR trafficking may also be involved.

METHODS

We investigated the consequences of the lack of Yif1B (the 5-HT1AR trafficking protein) on 5-HT neurotransmission in mice, and whether Yif1B expression might be affected under conditions known to alter 5-HT neurotransmission, such as anxious or depressive states or following treatment with fluoxetine (a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor) in humans, monkeys and mice.

RESULTS

Compared with wild-type mice, Yif1B-knockout mice showed a significant decrease in the forebrain density of 5-HT projection fibres and a hypofunctionality of 5-HT1A autoreceptors expressed on raphe 5-HT neurons. In addition, social interaction was less in Yif1B-knockout mice, which did not respond to the antidepressant-like effect of acute fluoxetine injection. In wild-type mice, social defeat was associated with downregulated Yif1B mRNA in the prefrontal cortex, and chronic fluoxetine treatment increased Yif1B expression. The expression of Yif1B was also downregulated in the postmortem prefrontal cortex of people with major depressive disorder and upregulated after chronic treatment with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor in monkeys.

LIMITATIONS

We found sex differences in Yif1B expression in humans and monkeys, but not in mice under the tested conditions.

CONCLUSION

These data support the concept that Yif1B plays a critical role in 5-HT1AR functioning and brain 5-HT homeostasis. The opposite changes in its expression observed in anxious or depressive states and after therapeutic fluoxetine treatment suggest that Yif1B might be involved in vulnerability to anxiety and depression, and fluoxetine efficacy.

Response of Htr3a knockout mice to antidepressant treatment and chronic stress

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has recently been suggested that 5-HT₃ receptor blockade enhances the efficacy of selective 5-HT (serotonin) reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) antidepressants and may reverse stress-induced deficits in rodents.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

To further explore this hypothesis, we used mice lacking the 5-HT₃ receptor (Htr3a KO) and their wild-type (WT) controls to assess their response in behavioural paradigms relevant to anxiety and depression. Mice were studied under basal, antidepressant treatments and chronic social defeat stress (CSDS) conditions.

KEY RESULTS

In basal conditions, Htr3a KO mice displayed anxiolytic- and antidepressant-like behaviours in the elevated plus maze, the social interaction and the forced swim tests (FST), but behaved as WT mice in response to acute citalopram in the FST. However, the effects of fluoxetine were blunted in Htr3a KO mice in these same tests. In an in vitro electrophysiological paradigm, a low-dose citalopram treatment triggered 5-HT_1A receptor desensitization only in the dorsal raphe nucleus of Htr3a KO, although a high dose desensitized 5-HT_1A autoreceptor function equally in Htr3a KO and WT mice, suggesting that citalopram may become effective at lower doses when 5-HT₃ receptors are inactivated. In addition, Htr3a deletion blocked CSDS-induced modification in the cortical expression of two genes involved in oxidative stress, CaMKIIa and SOD1.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

Taken together, these data show that Htr3a deletion promotes SSRI efficacy and prevents the occurrence of stress-induced deleterious effects, suggesting that the 5-HT₃ receptor may represent an interesting target for the treatment of stress-related disorders.

5-HT1A Autoreceptors in the Dorsal Raphe Nucleus Convey Vulnerability to Compulsive Cocaine Seeking

Cocaine addiction and depression are comorbid disorders. Although it is well recognized that 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT; serotonin) plays a central role in depression, our understanding of its role in addiction is notably lacking. The 5-HT system in the brain is carefully controlled by a combined process of regulating 5-HT neuron firing through 5-HT autoreceptors, neurotransmitter release, enzymatic degradation, and reuptake by transporters. This study tests the hypothesis that activation of 5-HT1A autoreceptors, which would lessen 5-HT neuron firing, contributes to cocaine-seeking behaviors. Using 5-HT neuron-specific reduction of 5-HT1A autoreceptor gene expression in mice, we demonstrate that 5-HT1A autoreceptors are necessary for cocaine conditioned place preference. In addition, using designer receptors exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs) technology, we found that stimulation of the serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) afferents to the nucleus accumbens (NAc) abolishes cocaine reward and promotes antidepressive-like behaviors. Finally, using a rat model of compulsive-like cocaine self-administration, we found that inhibition of dorsal raphe 5-HT1A autoreceptors attenuates cocaine self-administration in rats with 6 h extended access, but not 1 h access to the drug. Therefore, our findings suggest an important role for 5-HT1A autoreceptors, and thus DRNNAc 5-HT neuronal activity, in the etiology and vulnerability to cocaine reward and addiction. Moreover, our findings support a strategy for antagonizing 5-HT1A autoreceptors for treating cocaine addiction.

How Does the Brain Implement Adaptive Decision Making to Eat?

Adaptive decision making to eat is crucial for survival, but in anorexia nervosa, the brain persistently supports reduced food intake despite a growing need for energy. How the brain persists in reducing food intake, sometimes even to the point of death and despite the evolution of multiple mechanisms to ensure survival by governing adaptive eating behaviors, remains mysterious. Neural substrates belong to the reward-habit system, which could differ among the eating disorders. The present review provides an overview of neural circuitry of restrictive food choice, binge eating, and the contribution of specific serotonin receptors. One possibility is that restrictive food intake critically engages goal-directed (decision making) systems and "habit," supporting the view that persistent caloric restriction mimics some aspects of addiction to drugs of abuse.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

An improved understanding of the neural basis of eating disorders is a timely challenge because these disorders can be deadly. Up to 70 million of people in the world suffer from eating disorders. Anorexia nervosa affects 1-4% of women in United States and is the first cause of death among adolescents in Europe. Studies relying on animal models suggest that decision making to eat (or not) can prevail over actual energy requirements due to emotional disturbances resulting in abnormal habitual behavior, mimicking dependence. These recent studies provide a foundation for developing more specific and effective interventions for these disorders.

Cognitive Impairment Induced by Delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol Occurs through Heteromers between Cannabinoid CB1 and Serotonin 5-HT2A Receptors

Activation of cannabinoid CB1 receptors (CB1R) by delta9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) produces a variety of negative effects with major consequences in cannabis users that constitute important drawbacks for the use of cannabinoids as therapeutic agents. For this reason, there is a tremendous medical interest in harnessing the beneficial effects of THC. Behavioral studies carried out in mice lacking 5-HT2A receptors (5-HT2AR) revealed a remarkable 5-HT2AR-dependent dissociation in the beneficial antinociceptive effects of THC and its detrimental amnesic properties. We found that specific effects of THC such as memory deficits, anxiolytic-like effects, and social interaction are under the control of 5-HT2AR, but its acute hypolocomotor, hypothermic, anxiogenic, and antinociceptive effects are not. In biochemical studies, we show that CB1R and 5-HT2AR form heteromers that are expressed and functionally active in specific brain regions involved in memory impairment. Remarkably, our functional data shows that costimulation of both receptors by agonists reduces cell signaling, antagonist binding to one receptor blocks signaling of the interacting receptor, and heteromer formation leads to a switch in G-protein coupling for 5-HT2AR from Gq to Gi proteins. Synthetic peptides with the sequence of transmembrane helices 5 and 6 of CB1R, fused to a cell-penetrating peptide, were able to disrupt receptor heteromerization in vivo, leading to a selective abrogation of memory impairments caused by exposure to THC. These data reveal a novel molecular mechanism for the functional interaction between CB1R and 5-HT2AR mediating cognitive impairment. CB1R-5-HT2AR heteromers are thus good targets to dissociate the cognitive deficits induced by THC from its beneficial antinociceptive properties.

Striatal cholinergic interneuron regulation and circuit effects

The striatum plays a central role in motor control and motor learning. Appropriate responses to environmental stimuli, including pursuit of reward or avoidance of aversive experience all require functional striatal circuits. These pathways integrate synaptic inputs from limbic and cortical regions including sensory, motor and motivational information to ultimately connect intention to action. Although many neurotransmitters participate in striatal circuitry, one critically important player is acetylcholine (ACh). Relative to other brain areas, the striatum contains exceptionally high levels of ACh, the enzymes that catalyze its synthesis and breakdown, as well as both nicotinic and muscarinic receptor types that mediate its postsynaptic effects. The principal source of striatal ACh is the cholinergic interneuron (ChI), which comprises only about 1-2% of all striatal cells yet sends dense arbors of projections throughout the striatum. This review summarizes recent advances in our understanding of the factors affecting the excitability of these neurons through acute effects and long term changes in their synaptic inputs. In addition, we discuss the physiological effects of ACh in the striatum, and how changes in ACh levels may contribute to disease states during striatal dysfunction.

Rethinking 5-HT1A receptors: emerging modes of inhibitory feedback of relevance to emotion-related behavior

The complexities of the involvement of the serotonin transmitter system in numerous biological processes and psychiatric disorders is, to a substantial degree, attributable to the large number of serotonin receptor families and subtypes that have been identified and characterized for over four decades. Of these, the 5-HT(1A) receptor subtype, which was the first to be cloned and characterized, has received considerable attention based on its purported role in the etiology and treatment of mood and anxiety disorders. 5-HT(1A) receptors function both at presynaptic (autoreceptor) and postsynaptic (heteroreceptor) sites. Recent research has implicated distinct roles for these two populations of receptors in mediating emotion-related behavior. New concepts as to how 5-HT(1A) receptors function to control serotonergic tone throughout life were highlights of the proceedings of the 2012 Serotonin Club Meeting in Montpellier, France. Here, we review recent findings and current perspectives on functional aspects of 5-HT(1A) auto- and heteroreceptors with particular regard to their involvement in altered anxiety and mood states.

Regulation of serotonin (5-HT) function by a VGLUT1 dependent glutamate pathway

Unraveling the mechanisms of 5-HT neuron control might provide new insights into depression pathophysiology. In addition to the inhibitory 5-HT1A autoreceptors, cortico-raphe glutamatergic descending pathways are suggested to modulate 5-HT activity in the DRN. Here we studied how decreased VGLUT1 levels in the brain stem affect glutamate regulation of 5-HT function. VGLUT1+/- mice (C57BL/6) and wild type (WT) littermates were used. VGLUT1 expression in the DRN, 5-HT turnover and immuno histochemical analysis of neuronal activity in different areas was studied. Moreover, the functionality of the inhibitory 5-HT1A autoreceptor was assessed using electrophysiological, biochemical and pharmacological approaches. VGLUT1 immunoreactivity was markedly lower in the DRN of the VGLUT1+/- mice and specifically, in the surroundings of GABA and 5-HT cell bodies. These mice showed decreased induced neuronal activity in 5-HT cells bodies and in different forebrain areas, as well as decreased hippocampal cell proliferation and 5-HT turnover. Further, 5-HT1A autoreceptor desensitization was evidenced by electrophysiological studies, GTP-γ-S coupling to 5-HT1A autoreceptor and a lower hypothermic response to 5-HT1A activation. This study shows first time that VGLUT1 dependent glutamate innervation of the DRN could modulate 5-HT function.

Modulation of the serotonin system by endocannabinoid signaling

The cannabinoid CB(1) receptors and their endogenous agonists, endocannabinoids (eCBs), are ubiquitously distributed throughout the central nervous system (CNS), where they play a key role in the regulation of neuronal excitability. As such, CB signaling has been implicated in the regulation of a myriad of physiological functions ranging from feeding homoeostasis to emotional and motivational processes. Ample evidence from behavioral studies also suggests that eCBs are important regulators of stress responses and a deficit in eCB signaling contributes to stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression. The eCB-induced modulation of stress-related behaviors appears to be mediated, at least in part, through the regulation of the serotoninergic system. In this article, we review the role of eCB signaling in the regulation of the serotoninergic system with special emphasis on the cellular mechanisms by which cannabinoid CB(1) receptors modulate the excitability of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons.

Interactions between chemokine and mu-opioid receptors: anatomical findings and electrophysiological studies in the rat periaqueductal grey

Opioids have immunomodulatory functions and may alter susceptibility to immune disorders. Behavioral studies also indicate that chemokines, molecules expressed by immune cells, block opioid-induced analgesia in the periaqueductal grey (PAG). Bi-directional heterologous desensitization of opioid and chemokine receptors has been described in cell systems. We report the anatomical and functional interactions of chemokine receptors with the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) in the rat brain. The chemokine receptors, CXCR4 and CX3CR1, as well as their chemokine substrates, CXCL12 and CX3CL1, are widely expressed in the central nervous system (CNS). Immunohistochemical techniques were utilized to investigate MOR-CXCR4 and MOR-CX3CR1 receptor colocalization in multiple brain areas. Our results demonstrate co-expression of these receptors on individual neurons in several regions including cingulate cortex, hippocampus, and PAG, suggesting functional receptor interactions. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings of PAG neurons in a rat brain slice preparation were used to examine morphine or chemokine (CXCL12, CX3CL1) effects alone, or in combination on neuronal membrane properties. Morphine (10 μM) hyperpolarized and reduced input resistance of PAG neurons. CXCL12 and CX3CL1 (10 nM) had no impact on either parameter. In the presence of CXCL12, morphine's electrophysiological effects were blocked in all neurons examined, whereas with CX3CL1, morphine's effects were blocked in 57% of neurons studied. The data provide electrophysiological evidence for MOR-CXCR4 and MOR-CX3CR1 heterologous desensitization in the PAG at the single-cell level. These interactions may contribute to the limited utility of opioid analgesics for inflammatory pain treatment and supports chemokines as neuromodulators.

The pharmacology of the neurochemical transmission in the midbrain raphe nuclei of the rat

Midbrain slices containing the dorsal and medial raphe nuclei were prepared from rat brain, loaded with [(3)H]serotonin ([(3)H]5-HT), superfused and the release of [(3)H]5-HT was determined at rest and in response to electrical stimulation. Compartmental analysis of [(3)H]5-HT taken up by raphe tissue indicated various pools where the neurotransmitter release may originate from these stores differed both in size and rate constant. 5-HT release originates not only from vesicles but also from cytoplasmic stores via a transporter-dependent exchange process establishing synaptic and non-synaptic neurochemical transmission in the serotonergic somatodendritic area. Manipulation of 5-HT transporter function modulates extracellular 5-HT concentrations in the raphe nuclei: of the SSRIs, fluoxetine was found 5-HT releaser, whereas citalopram did not exhibit this effect. Serotonergic projection neurons in the raphe nuclei possess inhibitory 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(1B/1D) receptors and facilitatory 5-HT(3) receptors, which regulate 5-HT release in an opposing fashion. This observation indicates that somatodendritic 5-HT release in the raphe nuclei is under the control of several 5-HT homoreceptors. 5-HT(7) receptors located on glutamatergic axon terminals indirectly inhibit 5-HT release by reducing glutamatergic facilitation of serotonergic projection neurons. An opposite regulation of glutamatergic axon terminals was also found by involvement of the inhibitory 5-HT(7) and the stimulatory 5-HT(2) receptors as these receptors inhibit and stimulate glutamate release in raphe slice preparation, respectively, Furthermore, postsynaptic 5-HT(1B/1D) heteroreceptors interact with release of GABA in inhibitory fashion in raphe GABAergic interneurons. Serotonergic projection neurons also possess glutamate and GABA heteroreceptors; NMDA and AMPA receptors release 5-HT, whereas both GABAA and GABAB receptors inhibit somatodendritic 5-HT release. Evidence was found for reciprocal interactions between serotonergic and glutamatergic as well as serotonergic and GABAergic innervations in the raphe nuclei. Serotonergic neurons in the raphe nuclei also receive noradrenergic innervation arising from the locus coeruleus and alpha-1 and alpha-2 adrenoceptors inhibited [(3)H]5-HT release in our experimental conditions. The close relation between 5-HT transporter and release-mediating 5-HT autoreceptors was also shown by addition of L-deprenyl, a drug possessing inhibition of type B monoamine oxidase and 5-HT reuptake. L-Deprenyl selectively desensitizes 5-HT(1B) but not 5-HT(1A) receptors and these effects are not related to inhibition of 5-HT metabolism but rather to inhibition of 5-HT transporter.

Chronic voluntary ethanol intake hypersensitizes 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors in C57BL/6J mice

Alcoholism is a complex disorder involving, among others, the serotoninergic (5-HT) system, mainly regulated by 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus. 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor desensitization induced by chronic 5-HT reuptake inactivation has been associated with a decrease in ethanol intake in mice. We investigated here whether, conversely, chronic ethanol intake could induce 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor supersensitivity, thereby contributing to the maintenance of high ethanol consumption. C57BL/6J mice were subjected to a progressive ethanol intake procedure in a free-choice paradigm (3-10% ethanol versus tap water; 21 days) and 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor functional state was assessed using different approaches. Acute administration of the 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist ipsapirone decreased the rate of tryptophan hydroxylation in striatum, and this effect was significantly larger (+75%) in mice that drank ethanol than in those drinking water. Furthermore, ethanol intake produced both an increased potency (+45%) of ipsapirone to inhibit the firing of 5-HT neurons, and a raise (+35%) in 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor-mediated stimulation of [(35)S]GTP-gamma-S binding in the dorsal raphe nucleus. These data showed that chronic voluntary ethanol intake in C57BL/6J mice induced 5-HT(1A) autoreceptor supersensitivity, at the origin of a 5-HT neurotransmission deficit, which might be causally related to the addictive effects of ethanol intake.

Differential long-term effects of MDMA on the serotoninergic system and hippocampal cell proliferation in 5-HTT knock-out vs. wild-type mice

Although numerous studies investigated the mechanisms underlying 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA)-induced neurotoxicity, little is known about its long-term functional consequences on 5-HT neurotransmission in mice. This led us to evaluate the delayed effects of MDMA exposure on the 5-HT system, using in-vitro and in-vivo approaches in both 5-HTT wild-type and knock-out mice. Acute MDMA in-vitro application on slices of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) induced concentration-dependent 5-HT release and 5-HT cell firing inhibition. Four weeks after MDMA administration (20 mg/kg b.i.d for 4 d), a 2-fold increase in the potency of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist ipsapirone to inhibit the discharge of DRN 5-HT neurons and a larger hypothermic response to 8-OH-DPAT were observed in MDMA- compared to saline-treated mice. This adaptive 5-HT1A autoreceptor supersensitivity was associated with decreases in 5-HT levels but no changes of [3H]citalopram binding in brain. Long-term MDMA treatment also induced a 30% decrease in BrdU labelling of proliferating hippocampal cells and an increased immobility duration in the forced swim test suggesting a depressive-like behaviour induced by MDMA treatment. All these effects were abolished in 5-HTT-/- knock-out mice. These data indicated that, in mice, MDMA administration induced a delayed adaptive supersensitivity of 5-HT1A autoreceptors in the DRN, a deficit in hippocampal cell proliferation and a depressive-like behaviour. These 5-HTT-dependent effects, opposite to those of antidepressants, might contribute to MDMA-induced mood disorders.

Targeting of the 5-HT1A serotonin receptor to neuronal dendrites is mediated by Yif1B

The 5-HT(1A) receptor (5-HT(1A)R) is the most extensively characterized serotonin (5-HT) receptor mainly because of its involvement in the mode of action of antidepressants. The 5-HT(1A)R is confined to the somatodendritic domain of central neurons, where it mediates serotonin-evoked hyperpolarization. Our previous studies underlined the role of the short 5-HT(1A)R C-terminal domain in receptor targeting to dendrites. We used this 17 aa region as bait in a yeast two-hybrid screen, and identified, for the first time, an intracellular protein interacting with the 5-HT(1A)R. This protein is homologous to the yeast Yif1p, previously implicated in vesicular trafficking between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi apparatus, but not yet characterized in mammals. We confirmed 5-HT(1A)R-Yif1B interaction by glutathione S-transferase pull-down experiments using rat brain extracts and transfected cell lines. Yif1B is highly expressed in the brain, and specifically in raphe 5-HT(1A)R-expressing neurons. Colocalization of Yif1B and 5-HT(1A)R was observed in small vesicles involved in transient intracellular trafficking. Last, inhibition of endogenous expression of Yif1B in primary neuron cultures by small interfering RNA specifically prevented the addressing of 5-HT(1A)R to distal portions of the dendrites, without affecting other receptors, such as sst2A, P2X(2), and 5-HT(3A) receptors. Together, our results provide strong evidence that Yif1B is a member of the ER/Golgi trafficking machinery, which plays a key role in specific targeting of 5-HT(1A)R to the neuronal dendrites. This finding opens up new pathways for the study of 5-HT(1A)R regulation by partner proteins and for the development of novel antidepressant drugs.

Serotonin and psychostimulant addiction: Focus on 5-HT1A-receptors

Serotonin(1A)-receptors (5-HT(1A)-Rs) are important components of the 5-HT system in the brain. As somatodendritic autoreceptors they control the activity of 5-HT neurons, and, as postsynaptic receptors, the activity in terminal areas. Cocaine (COC), amphetamine (AMPH), methamphetamine (METH) and 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine ("Ecstasy", MDMA) are psychostimulant drugs that can lead to addiction-related behavior in humans and in animals. At the neurochemical level, these psychostimulant drugs interact with monoamine transporters and increase extracellular 5-HT, dopamine and noradrenalin activity in the brain. The increase in 5-HT, which, in addition to dopamine, is a core mechanism of action for drug addiction, hyperactivates 5-HT(1A)-Rs. Here, we first review the role of the various 5-HT(1A)-R populations in spontaneous behavior to provide a background to elucidate the contribution of the 5-HT(1A)-Rs to the organization of psychostimulant-induced addiction behavior. The progress achieved in this field shows the fundamental contribution of brain 5-HT(1A)-Rs to virtually all behaviors associated with psychostimulant addiction. Importantly, the contribution of pre- and postsynaptic 5-HT(1A)-Rs can be dissociated and frequently act in opposite directions. We conclude that 5-HT(1A)-autoreceptors mainly facilitate psychostimulant addiction-related behaviors by a limitation of the 5-HT response in terminal areas. Postsynaptic 5-HT(1A)-Rs, in contrast, predominantly inhibit the expression of various addiction-related behaviors directly. In addition, they may also influence the local 5-HT response by feedback mechanisms. The reviewed findings do not only show a crucial role of 5-HT(1A)-Rs in the control of brain 5-HT activity and spontaneous behavior, but also their complex role in the regulation of the psychostimulant-induced 5-HT response and subsequent addiction-related behaviors.

Role of the C-terminal di-leucine motif of 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B serotonin receptors in plasma membrane targeting

The 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B serotonin receptors exhibit different subcellular localizations in neurons. Evidence has been reported that the C-terminal domain is involved in the somato-dendritic and axonal targeting of 5-HT1AR and 5-HT1BR, respectively. Here we analyzed the consequences of the mutation of a di-leucine motif and palmitoylated cysteines within this domain. Replacement of I414-I415 by a di-alanine in 5-HT1AR led to endoplasmic reticulum (ER) sequestration of the corresponding mutant expressed in cell lines as well as in hippocampal neurons in culture. Furthermore, di-leucine-mutated receptors were unable to bind 5-HT1A agonists and presented a major deficit in their glycosylation state, suggesting that they are misfolded. By contrast, mutation of the di-leucine motif in the C-terminal domain of 5-HT1BR had no major consequence on its subcellular targeting. However, in the case of the 1ActB chimera (substitution of the C-terminal domain of the 5-HT1BR into 5-HT1AR), this mutation was also found to cause sequestration within the ER. Replacement of palmitoylated cysteines by serines had no consequence on either receptor type. These data indicate that the di-leucine motif of the 5-HT1AR and 5-HT1BR tails is implicated in proper folding of these receptors, which is necessary for their ER export.

Adaptive changes in serotonin neurons of the raphe nuclei in 5-HT4receptor knock-out mouse

Decreased serotonin (5-HT) transmission is thought to underlie several mental diseases, including depression and feeding disorders. However, whether deficits in genes encoding G protein-coupled receptors may down-regulate the activity of 5-HT neurons is unknown currently. Based on recent evidence that stress-induced anorexia may involve 5-HT(4)receptors (5-HT(4)R), we measured various aspects of 5-HT function in 5-HT(4)R knock-out (KO) mice. When compared to dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) 5-HT neurons from wild-type mice, those from 5-HT(4)R KO mice exhibited reduced spontaneous electrical activity. This reduced activity was associated with diminished tissue levels of 5-HT and its main metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA). Cumulative, systemic doses of the 5-HT uptake blocker citalopram, that reduced 5-HT cell firing by 30% in wild-type animals, completely inhibited 5-HT neuron firing in the KO mice. This effect was reversed by administration of the 5-HT(1A) receptor (5-HT(1A)R) antagonist, WAY100635, in mice of both genotypes. Other changes in DRN of the KO mice included increases in the levels of 5-HT plasma membrane transporter sites and mRNA, as well as a decrease in the density of 5-HT(1A)R sites without any change in 5-HT(1A) mRNA content. With the exception of increased 5-HT turnover index in the hypothalamus and nucleus accumbens and a decreased density of 5-HT(1A)R sites in the dorsal hippocampus (CA1) and septum, no major changes were detected in 5-HT territories of projection, suggesting region-specific adaptive changes. The mechanisms whereby 5-HT(4)R mediate a tonic positive influence on the firing activity of DRN 5-HT neurons and 5-HT content remain to be determined.

Reduced density of functional 5-HT1A receptors in the brain, medulla and spinal cord of monoamine oxidase-A knockout mouse neonates

Abnormally high brain 5-HT levels in monoamine oxidase-A knockout (MAO-A KO) mouse neonates raise the question of whether the distribution and density of the 5-HT1A receptors (5-HT1AR) expressed in the brain by postnatal day P7 are affected and, if so, whether the 5-HT1A autoreceptors in the dorsal raphe are modified in the same way as the postsynaptic 5-HT1AR present in raphe target structures. [3H]8-OH-DPAT binding and quantitative autoradiography were performed to answer these questions. Binding specificity was first confirmed in adult wild-type mice and rat brain sections. 5-HT1AR binding was then analyzed in four MAO-A mutant vs. five wild-type neonatal brains, from olfactory bulb to cervical cord. Among 12 structures expressing postsynaptic 5-HT1AR in wild-type neonates, the highest densities involved the retrosplenial cortex, entorhinal cortex, and septum (52-46 fmol/mg tissue); low densities occurred in the hippocampus and spinal cord (24 fmol/mg tissue); in addition, the raphe autoreceptor density was only 20 fmol/mg tissue. In mutants, the distribution of postsynaptic 5-HT1AR was unchanged, but an overall decrease in density occurred (-32% to -63%); the raphe autoreceptors decreased in mutants by at least -79%. Data are discussed with reference to the ectopic 5-HT uptake and accumulation reported to occur during the first 10 postnatal days in wild-type and MAO-A KO mice. As previously suggested to explain the raphe autoreceptor loss in 2-month-old MAO-A KO mice, the overall 5-HT1AR down-regulation in mutant pups probably results from extracellular 5-HT excess in both raphe and target structures. The greater the 5-HT excess, the more the functional receptor density decreases.

8-Piperazinyl-2,3-dihydropyrrolo[3,2-g]isoquinolines: potent, selective, orally bioavailable 5-HT1 receptor ligands

The novel 8-piperazinyl-2,3-dihydropyrroloisoquinoline template was synthesized in nine steps. The template was N-substituted to give a series of compounds showing binding to human cloned 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B and 5-HT1D receptors with pKi's greater than 9 and selectivities up to 1000-fold against other serotonin, dopamine and adrenergic receptors. Several compounds were shown to possess weak partial agonist activity in cloned receptors, which translated to antagonism in in vitro studies.

Sustained pharmacological blockade of NK1 substance P receptors causes functional desensitization of dorsal raphe 5-HT 1A autoreceptors in mice

Antagonists at NK1 substance P receptors have demonstrated similar antidepressant properties in both animal paradigms and in human as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) that induce desensitization of 5-HT 1A autoreceptors within the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). We investigated whether this receptor adaptation also occurs upon NK1 receptor blockade. C57B/L6J mice were treated for 21 days with the selective NK1 receptor antagonist GR 205171 (10 mg/kg daily) through subcutaneously implanted osmotic mini pumps, and DRN 5-HT 1A autoreceptor functioning was assessed using various approaches. Recording of DRN serotonergic neurons in brainstem slices showed that GR 205171 treatment reduced (by approximately 1.5 fold) the potency of the 5-HT 1A receptor agonist, ipsapirone, to inhibit cell firing. In parallel, the 5-HT 1A autoreceptor-mediated [35S]GTP-gamma-S binding induced by 5-carboxamidotryptamine onto the DRN in brainstem sections was significantly decreased in GR 205171-treated mice. In vivo microdialysis showed that the cortical 5-HT overflow caused by acute injection of the SSRI paroxetine (1 mg/kg) was twice as high in GR 205171-treated as in vehicle-treated controls. In the DRN, basal 5-HT outflow was significantly enhanced by GR 205171 treatment. These data supported the hypothesis that chronic NK1 receptor blockade induces a functional desensitization of 5-HT 1A autoreceptors similar to that observed with SSRIs.

Postnatal treatment with NAN-190 but not with 5-HT1A receptor agonists retards growth of the rat brain

We investigated the influence of prolonged administration of the 5-HT1A receptor agonists (8-OH-DPAT or buspirone) or its antagonist, NAN-190 to rat pups on development of their cortical barrel field. Pups were injected daily with the drugs starting from the day of birth till either the 5th postnatal day or the 22-25th postnatal day and were perfused one day later. Square areas of their whisker barrel fields were measured on tangential sections of the cortex stained for cytochrome oxidase. Injections of 8-OH-DPAT or buspirone till the 5th postnatal day did not change any of the investigated parameters, while injections of NAN-190 resulted in 15% reduction of the pups' body and brain weight and proportional reduction of the square area of their barrel fields. Groups treated till the 22-25th postnatal day showed similar results. Some of these pups were injected with [C(14)]2-deoxyglucose to investigate the strength of responses of their cortical barrels to stimulation of corresponding vibrissae. The cortical area labeled with 2-deoxyglucose after stimulation of vibrissae of the row C was narrower in the NAN-190 injected rats. This functional deficit was more pronounced than the anatomical one, which resembled the effects of neonatal serotonin depletion (Neuroreport, 1997). Therefore, the results of injecting NAN-190 to the rat pups point to a deficit of trophic developmental influences of serotonin, adding new arguments for the hypothesis of a trophic role of 5-HT1A receptors in the brain development.

Cloned human 5-HT1A receptor pharmacology determined using agonist binding and measurement of cAMP accumulation

Twenty agonists and nine antagonists were evaluated for their ability to compete for [3H]-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin ([3H]-8-OH-DPAT) binding to the cloned human serotonin-1A (ch-5-HT1A) receptor expressed in Chinese hamster ovary cells and for their ability to alter adenylyl cyclase activity in the same cells. The most potent full agonists of high affinity included N,N-dipropyl-5-carboxamidotryptamine (pEC50=9.6 +/- 0.1), MDL 73005EF (pEC50=9.3 +/- 0.2), 5-methyl-urapidil (pEC50=9.2 +/- 0.1), 5-carboxamidotryptamine (pEC50=9.1 +/- 0.2), R(+)-8-OH-DPAT (pEC50=8.6 +/- 0.1) and BMY-7378 (pEC50=8.6 +/- 0.1). WB-4101 (pEC50=8.3 +/- 0.2; IA=79%), clozapine (pEC50=8.1 +/- 0.3; IA=29%), (buspirone (pEC50=7.6 +/- 0.2; IA=79%), quipazine (pEC50 <5; IA=45%) and R-DOI (pEC50 < 5; IA=31%) were weaker agonists with partial agonist properties. The most potent antagonists were WAY-100,635 (pKi=10.2 +/- 0.1), methiothepin (pKi=8.8 +/- 0.2), spiperone (pKi=8.7 +/- 0.2) and NAN-190 (pKi=8.5 +/- 0.2). The receptor affinities and functional potencies were well correlated (r=0.88; P <0.0001). Our binding data correlated well with the pharmacology of endogenous 5-HT1A receptors in the rabbit iris-ciliary body (r=0.91; P <0.001) and rat hippocampus (r=0.93, P <0.0001). Our functional cAMP data correlated well with other cAMP accumulation data (r=0.8, P <0.01 vs calf hippocampus) but less so with [35S]-GTPgammaS binding to the ch-5-HT(1A) receptor as a functional activity read-out (r=0.58, P <0.05). The present study provides a detailed pharmacological characterization of the ch-5-HT1A receptor using binding and functional assays.

Differential effects of the novel antidepressant agomelatine (S 20098) versus fluoxetine on 5-HT1A receptors in the rat brain

Agomelatine (S 20098) is a novel antidepressant drug with melatonin receptor agonist and 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist properties, but actual mechanisms underlying its antidepressant action are unknown. Because functional desensitization of 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) occurs after chronic administration of several classes of antidepressants, we investigated whether this adaptive change could also be induced by agomelatine. Neither acute nor chronic treatment with agomelatine (10 mg/kg i.p. for 14 days or 50 mg/kg i.p. for 21 days) changed the density of 5-HT(1A) receptors and their coupling with G proteins in the DRN and the hippocampus in rats. Moreover, these treatments did not affect the basal electrophysiological characteristics and the responses to 5-HT(1A) receptor stimulation of DRN and hippocampal neurons in brain slices. Parallel experiments with melatonin (10 mg/kg i.p. for 14 days) and fluoxetine (5 mg/kg i.p. for 14 days) as reference compounds showed that the former was unable to affect 5-HT(1A) receptors whereas the latter decreased both the 5-HT(1A) receptor-mediated [(35)S]GTP-gamma-S binding and the potency of ipsapirone, a 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist, to inhibit neuronal firing in the DRN. These data indicate that the antidepressant action of agomelatine is not mediated through the same mechanisms as SSRIs or tricyclics.

GABA(B) receptors in 5-HT transporter- and 5-HT1A receptor-knock-out mice: further evidence of a transduction pathway shared with 5-HT1A receptors

The functional properties of GABA(B) receptors were examined in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and the hippocampus of knock-out mice devoid of the 5-HT transporter (5-HTT-/-) or the 5-HT(1A) receptor (5-HT(1A)-/-). Electrophysiological recordings in brain slices showed that the GABA(B) receptor agonist baclofen caused a lower hyperpolarization and neuronal firing inhibition of DRN 5-HT cells in 5-HTT-/- versus 5-HTT+/+ mice. In addition, [(35)S]GTP-gamma-S binding induced by GABA(B) receptor stimulation in the DRN was approximately 40% less in these mutants compared with wild-type mice. In contrast, GABA(B) receptors appeared functionally intact in the hippocampus of 5-HTT-/-, and in both this area and the DRN of 5-HT(1A)-knock-out mice. The unique functional changes of DRN GABA(B) receptors closely resembled those of 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors in 5-HTT-/- mice, further supporting the idea that both receptor types are coupled to a common pool of G-proteins in serotoninergic neurons.

Neurochemical and behavioral alterations in glucocorticoid receptor-impaired transgenic mice after chronic mild stress

Mice (GR-i) bearing a transgene encoding a glucocorticoid receptor (GR) antisense RNA under the control of a neuron-specific neurofilament promoter were used to investigate the effects of a 4 week chronic mild stress (CMS) on the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis and the serotoninergic system in a transgenic model of vulnerability to affective disorders. GR-i mice showed a decrease in both GR-specific binding (hippocampus and cerebral cortex) and GR mRNA levels [hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN)] as well as a deficit in HPA axis feedback control (dexamethasone test) compared with paired wild-type (WT) mice. In the latter animals, CMS exposure caused a significant decrease in both GR mRNA levels and the density of cytosolic GR binding sites in the hippocampus, whereas, in the DRN, GR mRNA levels tended to increase. In contrast, in stressed GR-i mice, both GR mRNA levels and the density of GR binding sites were significantly increased in the hippocampus, cerebral cortex, and DRN. Electrophysiological recordings in brainstem slices and [gamma-35S]GTP-S binding measurements to assess 5-HT1A receptor functioning showed that CMS exposure produced a desensitization of DRN 5-HT1A autoreceptors in WT, but not in GR-i, mice. In addition, CMS was found to facilitate choice behavior of WT, but not GR-i, mice in a decision-making task derived from an alternation paradigm. These results demonstrate that impaired GR functioning affects normal adaptive responses of the HPA axis and 5-HT system to CMS and alters stress-related consequences on decision-making behaviors.

Dihydroergotamine and its metabolite, 8'-hydroxy-dihydroergotamine, as 5-HT1A receptor agonists in the rat brain

1 In addition to stopping migraine attacks, dihydroergotamine (DHE) is an efficient drug for migraine prophylaxis. Whether 5-HT(1A) receptors could contribute to the latter action was assessed by investigating the effects of DHE and its metabolite, 8'-OH-DHE, on these receptors in the rat brain. 2 Membrane binding assays with [(3)H]8-OH-DPAT and [(3)H]WAY 100635 as radioligands showed that both DHE (IC(50)=28-30 nM) and 8'-OH-DHE (IC(50)=8-11 nM) are high-affinity 5-HT(1A) receptor ligands. 3 Both DHE and 8'-OH-DHE enhanced the specific binding of [(35)S]GTP-gamma-S to the dorsal raphe nucleus and the hippocampus in brain sections, but to a lower extent than 5-carboxamido-tryptamine (5-CT) in the latter area. 4 Both DHE (EC(50)=10.9+/-0.3 nM) and 8'-OH-DHE (EC(50)=30.4+/-0.8 nM) inhibited the firing of serotoninergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus within brain stem slices. 5 Intracellular recording showed that 8'-OH-DHE was more potent than DHE to hyperpolarize CA1 pyramidal cells in rat hippocampal slices. 6 Both the stimulatory effects of DHE and 8'-OH-DHE on [(35)S]GTP-gamma-S binding and their electrophysiological effects were completely prevented by the selective 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist WAY 100635. 7 As expected of 5-HT(1A) receptor partial agonists, DHE and 8'-OH-DHE prevented any subsequent hyperpolarization of CA1 pyramidal cells by 5-HT or 5-CT. 8 Through their actions at 5-HT(1A) auto- (in the dorsal raphe nucleus) and hetero-(notably in the hippocampus) receptors, DHE, and even more its metabolite 8'-OH-DHE, can exert both an inhibitory influence on neuronal excitability and anxiolytic effects which might contribute to their antimigraine prophylactic efficiency.

Rate-independent inhibition of 5-HT release by 5-HT in the somadendritic regions of raphe neurons

The somadendritic regions of raphe neurons respond to exogenous 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) with an inhibition of spontaneous rate and a consequent reduction in local transmitter release, providing evidence for the operation of negative feedback regulation of spontaneous rate. Experiments were done to determine if a release process for 5-HT might also operate in the somadendritic regions that is independent of negative feedback and rate regulation. Slices of rabbit brain containing medullary or midbrain raphe nuclei, were stimulated in vitro at predetermined frequencies and the efflux of 3H-transmitter determined. The stimulation-induced pattern of transmitter release was independent of frequency, pointing to the absence of feedback. Further, exogenous 5-HT (1 x 10(-6)M) depressed the release of 3H-transmitter, but the inhibition, monitored over a range of frequencies, did not reflect competition with endogenous 5-HT for receptor sites. The antagonist methiothepin (3 x 10(-6)M) attenuated the inhibitions by 5-HT but did not by itself potentiate transmitter release, as expected if feedback inhibition were operative. Labeled transmitter release was antagonized by pretreatment with fluoxetine prior to 3H-HT incubation, and was severely curtailed in a calcium deficient medium, confirming that a neuronally relevant pool of transmitter was involved. It is concluded that serotonergic somadendritic sites contain inhibitory receptors for 5-HT release that operate independently of rate regulation and feedback. These findings could explain how other transmitters, and 5-HT itself (through dendritic release of transmitter), could exert synaptic effects on serotonergic and other neurons without being promptly countermanded by a somadendritic feedback-induced rate correction.

5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1A autoreceptor adaptive changes in substance P (neurokinin 1) receptor knock-out mice mimic antidepressant-induced desensitization

Antagonists at substance P receptors of the neurokinin 1 (NK1) type have been shown to represent a novel class of antidepressant drugs, with comparable clinical efficacy to the selective serotonin (5-HT) reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Because 5-HT(1A) receptors may be critically involved in the mechanisms of action of SSRIs, we examined whether these receptors could also be affected in a model of whole-life blockade of NK1 receptors, i.e. knock-out mice lacking the latter receptors (NK1-/-). 5-HT(1A) receptor labeling by the selective antagonist radioligand [(3)H]N-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)1-piperazinyl]-ethyl]-N-(2-pyridinyl)-cyclohexanecarboxamide (WAY 100635) and 5-HT(1A)-dependent [(35)S]GTP-gamma-S binding at the level of the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) in brain sections, as well as the concentration of 5-HT(1A) mRNA in the anterior raphe area were significantly reduced (-19 to -46%) in NK1-/- compared with NK1+/+ mice. Furthermore, a approximately 10-fold decrease in the potency of the 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist ipsapirone to inhibit the discharge of serotoninergic neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus within brainstem slices, and reduced hypothermic response to 8-OH-DPAT, were noted in NK1-/- versus NK1+/+ mice. On the other hand, cortical 5-HT overflow caused by systemic injection of the SSRI paroxetine was four- to sixfold higher in freely moving NK1-/- mutants than in wild-type NK1+/+ mice. Accordingly, the constitutive lack of NK1 receptors appears to be associated with a downregulation/functional desensitization of 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors resembling that induced by chronic treatment with SSRI antidepressants. Double immunocytochemical labeling experiments suggest that such a heteroregulation of 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors in NK1-/- mutants does not reflect the existence of direct NK1-5-HT(1A) receptor interactions in normal mice.

Differentiation of presumed serotonergic dorsal raphe neurons in relation to behavior and wake-sleep states

Using extracellular single unit recording, either alone or in combination with microdialysis application of drugs, we examined the characteristics of presumed serotonergic dorsal raphe neurons during wake-sleep states in the freely moving cat. Recordings were made from a total of 272 neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus. Of these, 240 (88%) were classified as serotonergic on the basis of their typical long-duration action potential, slow discharge activity, and reduced spontaneous discharge rate during paradoxical sleep compared to during slow-wave sleep. An inhibitory response to serotonergic agonists and a slow conduction velocity were seen in all neurons of this type tested or identified by stimulation of the main ascending serotonergic pathway. These presumed serotonergic dorsal raphe neurons could be subdivided into two typical previously identified groups (types I-A and I-B) and four atypical new groups (types I-C, II-A, II-B, and II-C) according to differences in firing patterns during wake-sleep states. The typical neurons were evenly distributed in the dorsal raphe nucleus and their activity was related to the level of behavioral arousal, since they discharged regularly at a high rate during waking and at progressively slower rates during slow-wave sleep, and ceased firing either during slow-wave sleep with ponto-geniculo-occipital waves and paradoxical sleep (type I-A) or only during paradoxical sleep (type I-B). In contrast, the atypical subgroups were unevenly distributed in the dorsal raphe nucleus and exhibited firing patterns distinct from those of the typical neurons, such as sustained tonic activity during paradoxical sleep (types I-C and II-C) or showing their highest rate of tonic discharge during slow-wave sleep, with suppression of discharge during both waking and paradoxical sleep (type II-B). From these data we suggest that presumed serotonergic dorsal raphe neurons play different roles in behavioral state control and that there is functional topographic organization in the dorsal raphe nucleus.

SB-272183, a selective 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(1B) and 5-HT(1D) receptor antagonist in native tissue

A novel compound, SB-272183 (5-Chloro-2, 3-dihydro-6-[4-methylpiperazin-1-yl]-1[4-pyridin-4-yl]napth-1-ylaminocarbonyl]-1H-indole), has been shown to have high affinity for human 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(1B) and 5-HT(1D) receptors with pK(i) values of 8.0, 8.1 and 8.7 respectively and is at least 30 fold selective over a range of other receptors. [(35)S]-GTPgammaS binding studies showed that SB-272183 acts as a partial agonist at human recombinant 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(1B) and 5-HT(1D) receptors with intrinsic activities of 0.4, 0.4 and 0.8 respectively, compared to 5-HT. SB-272183 inhibited 5-HT-induced stimulation of [(35)S]-GTPgammaS binding at human 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(1B) receptors to give pA(2) values of 8.2 and 8.5 respectively. However, from [(35)S]-GTPgammaS autoradiographic studies in rat and human dorsal raphe nucleus, SB-272183 did not display intrinsic activity up to 10 microM but did block 5-HT-induced stimulation of [(35)S]-GTPgammaS binding. From electrophysiological studies in rat raphe slices in vitro, SB-272183 did not effect cell firing rate up to 1 microM but was able to attenuate (+)8-OH-DPAT-induced inhibition of cell firing to give an apparent pK(b) of 7.1. SB-272183 potentiated electrically-stimulated [(3)H]-5-HT release from rat and guinea-pig cortical slices at 100 and 1000 nM, similar to results previously obtained with the 5-HT(1B) and 5-HT(1D) receptor antagonist, GR127935. Fast cyclic voltammetry studies in rat dorsal raphe nucleus showed that SB-272183 could block sumatriptan-induced inhibition of 5-HT efflux, with an apparent pK(b) of 7.2, but did not effect basal efflux up to 1 microM. These studies show that, in vitro, SB-272183 acts as an antagonist at native tissue 5-HT(1A), 5-HT(1B) and 5-HT(1D) receptors.

D2-like dopamine receptor activation excites rat dorsal raphe 5-HT neurons in vitro

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of dopamine (DA) on the excitability of dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) neurons using the patch-clamp technique in brain slices. Bath application of DA (1-300 microM) produced a concentration-dependent membrane depolarization in all 5-HT neurons examined. This effect persisted in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX; 1 microM) and low extracellular calcium. Moreover, blockade of ionotropic glutamate receptors with 6,7-dinitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (DNQX) and 2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid (AP5) did not prevent DA-induced depolarization, indicating that it was mediated by a direct effect of DA on 5-HT neurons. The DA-induced depolarization was not antagonized by selective alpha1-adrenergic receptor antagonists, prazosin and WB 4101, but by a nonselective DA receptor antagonist, haloperidol. In addition, the selective D2-like receptor agonist quinpirole and antagonist sulpiride mimicked and blocked DA-induced depolarization, respectively. These results indicate that DA-induced membrane depolarization in DRN 5-HT neurons is mediated by the activation of D2-like DA receptors. The DA-induced membrane depolarization and inward current were associated with an increase in membrane conductance. Examination of the current-voltage (I-V) relationship for the DA-induced inward current revealed that the amplitude of the current increased with membrane hyperpolarization and reversed polarity at a potential near -15 mV. These data suggest that DA-induced depolarization in DRN 5-HT neurons is not mediated by a decrease in potassium conductance, but most likely by the activation of a nonselective cation current.

Functional consequences of 5-HT transporter gene disruption on 5-HT(1a) receptor-mediated regulation of dorsal raphe and hippocampal cell activity

The consequences of the absence of 5-HT reuptake on the functional properties of 5-HT(1A) receptors were examined in the dorsal raphe nucleus and the hippocampus of knock-out mice lacking the serotonin transporter (5-HTT). Extracellular recordings showed that application of selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitors such as paroxetine and citalopram onto brainstem slices resulted in a concentration-dependent inhibition of 5-HT neuron firing in the dorsal raphe nucleus of wild-type 5-HTT+/+ mice, but not 5-HTT-/- mutants. By contrast, the 5-HT(1A) receptor agonists ipsapirone and 5-carboxamidotryptamine inhibited the discharge in both groups. However, the potency of these agonists was markedly decreased (by approximately 55- and approximately 6-fold, respectively) in 5-HTT-/- compared with 5-HTT+/+ animals. Similarly, intracellular recordings showed that the potency of 5-carboxamidotryptamine to hyperpolarize 5-HT neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus was significantly lower in 5-HTT-/- than in 5-HTT+/+ animals. These data contrasted with those obtained with hippocampal slices in which 5-carboxamidotryptamine was equipotent to hyperpolarize CA1 pyramidal neurons in both mutant and wild-type mice. As expected from their mediation through 5-HT(1A) receptors, the effects of ipsapirone and 5-carboxamidotryptamine were competitively inhibited by the selective 5-HT(1A) antagonist WAY 100635 in both groups. These data showed that 5-HTT gene knock-out induced a marked desensitization of 5-HT(1A) autoreceptors in the dorsal raphe nucleus without altering postsynaptic 5-HT(1A) receptor functioning in the hippocampus. Similarities between these changes and those evoked by chronic treatment with 5-HT reuptake inhibitors emphasize the existence of regional differences in 5-HT(1A) receptor regulatory mechanisms.

Dominant role of the cytosolic C-terminal domain of the rat 5-HT1B receptor in axonal-apical targeting

The 5-HT(1A) and 5-HT(1B) receptors for serotonin exhibit a different membrane localization to either soma and dendrites (5-HT(1A)R) or axons and terminals (5-HT(1B)R) of neurons in the CNS. The mechanisms responsible for their differential targeting were investigated previously by transfecting various 5-HT(1A)R/5-HT(1B)R chimeras in the epithelial Lilly pork kidney (LLC-PK1) cell line. This first study suggested that a specific targeting signal is located in the C-terminal portion (comprising the last two transmembrane and the cytoplasmic C-terminal domains) of the 5-HT(1A)and/or 5-HT(1B) receptors. In the present study, the role of the cytosolic C-terminal tail of the receptors was further investigated by transfecting truncated receptors and 5-HT(1A)R/5-HT(1B)R chimeras in both the epithelial LLC-PK1 cells and rat hippocampal neurons in primary culture. Confocal microscopic analysis of immunofluorescence with specific anti-5-HTR antibodies and anti-microtubule-associated protein 2 or anti-neurofilament 200k antibodies showed that substitution of the cytosolic C-terminal tail of the 5-HT(1B)R in the 5-HT(1A)R addressed the resulting chimera to the axon of neurons and to the apical domain of LLC-PK1 cells. Therefore, the short tail of the 5-HT(1B)R presents an apical targeting signal that can also act as an axonal targeting signal. In addition, a domain within the third intracytoplasmic loop of the 5-HT(1B)R, responsible for its Golgi sequestration in LLC-PK1 cells, appeared to act as another axonal targeting signal in hippocampal neurons.

Presynaptic modulation of synaptic gamma-aminobutyric acid transmission by tandospirone in rat basolateral amygdala

Nystatin-perforated patch recordings were made from mechanically dissociated neurons (in which functional native presynaptic nerve terminals are preserved), isolated from the basolateral amygdala regions to investigate the effects of tandospirone on gamma-aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) inhibition. Two types of neurons, ovoid-shaped and pyramidal-shaped neurons, were obtained from the basolateral amygdala nuclei and the electrophysiological characteristics of these two types of neurons supported the morphological classification of these isolated neurons. From the ovoid-shaped neurons, bicuculline-sensitive GABA(A)ergic miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents (miniature IPSC) were recorded in the presence of tetrodotoxin, 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) and DL-2-amino-5-phosphovaleric acid (DL-AP5). Tandospirone (10 microM) reversibly and continuously inhibited the GABAergic miniature synaptic events to 66.3+/-2.1% of control (P<0.01, n=17) without affecting the miniature IPSC amplitude (104.0+/-3.1% of control, n=17). The similar inhibition of miniature IPSC frequency was mimicked by a specific 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino) tetralin (8-OH-DPAT, 1 microM), and the effects of tandospirone were prevented in the presence of a specific 5-HT1A receptor antagonist 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4-[4-(2-phthalimido)butyl] piperazine hydrobromide (NAN-190, 1 microM). Activation of 5-HT1A receptors by 8-OH-DPAT (1 microM) evoked no direct postsynaptic effects in enzyme-treated isolated basolateral amygdala neurons, suggesting that tandospirone acts at presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors. Furthermore, this presynaptic inhibition by tandospirone was prevented after treatment with a pertussis toxin-sensitive GTP-binding protein (G-protein) inhibitor, N-ethylmaleimide (at 3 microM for 5 min). In conclusion, in the basolateral amygdala nuclei, tandospirone activated presynaptic 5-HT1A receptors on the GABAergic nerve terminals projecting to ovoid-shaped neurons and inhibited synaptic GABA transmission via G-proteins.

Expression of 5-HT1A receptor mRNA in rat dorsal raphe nucleus and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray neurons after peripheral inflammation

In the present study we observed the expression of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1A receptor mRNA in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) and ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) neurons, especially in 5-HT immunoreactive neurons (5-HT-IR), using in situ hybridization (ISH) and double staining with fluorescent ISH (FISH) and immunohistochemical (FIH) techniques. The findings of this study demonstrated that 5-HT1A receptor mRNA was expressed with moderate to high level in the DRN and vlPAG neurons. Following carrageenan inflammation, the expression of 5-HT1A receptor mRNA in the DRN and bilateral vlPAG neurons was significantly increased. The peak occurred at 3-8h followed by a clear decrease at 24 h, which basically corresponded to the time-course of behavioral hyperalgesia. Moderate 5-HT1A receptor mRNA and 5-HT immunoreactive (5-HT-IR) double-labeled cells were observed in the DRN and vlPAG, suggesting that some of 5-HT1A receptors in the DRN and vlPAG may be autoreceptors. Eight hours after carrageenan injection, the number of the double labeled cells was significantly increased. These results suggest that the synthesis of 5-HT1A receptors, including autoreceptors, is increased in the DRN and vlPAG during peripheral inflammation.

Control of dorsal raphé 5-HT function by multiple 5-HT(1) autoreceptors: parallel purposes or pointless plurality?

The serotonergic cells of the dorsal raphé nucleus innervate much of the forebrain and are thought to be involved in the mechanism of action of antidepressants. Dysfunction of these cells might be involved in the neural mechanisms underlying depression and suicide. The traffic in pathways emanating from the dorsal raphé nucleus is controlled by 5-HT(1) autoreceptors. Until recently it was thought that the autoreceptors in the dorsal raphé nucleus were solely of the 5-HT(1A) subtype. In this article, we discuss evidence that the situation is more complex and that multiple 5-HT(1) subtypes govern different aspects of 5-HT function in the dorsal raphé nucleus presenting new therapeutic opportunities.

Pindolol excites dopaminergic and adrenergic neurons, and inhibits serotonergic neurons, by activation of 5-HT1A receptors

Pindolol accelerates the clinical actions of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) in man, and modulates extracellular levels of monoamines in corticolimbic structures in rats. Herein, we examined its influence upon electrical activity of serotonergic, dopaminergic and adrenergic perikarya in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), ventral tegmental area (VTA) and locus coeruleus (LC) of anaesthetized rats. In analogy to the serotonin1A (5-HT1A) agonist, 8-OH-DPAT (-100%), pindolol dose-dependently (0.063- 1.0 mg/kg) decreased (-70%) the firing rate of serotonergic neurons. The inhibitory action of pindolol was abolished by the selective 5-HT1A antagonist, WAY-100,635 (0.031 mg/kg). In contrast, 8-OH-DPAT (+26%) and pindolol (0.25-4.0 mg/kg, +60%) dose-dependently increased the firing rate of dopaminergic cells. Of 57 neurons recorded (pindolol, 2.0 mg/kg), 36 (63%) were excited, 11 (19%) were unaffected and 10 (18%) were inhibited. This variable influence could be attributed to regularly firing neurons in the parabrachial subdivision, inasmuch as all neurons in the paranigral subnucleus were excited. The facilitation of firing by pindolol was accompanied by an increase in burst firing throughout the VTA. Both the increases in burst firing and in firing rate were reversed by WAY-100,635 (0.031 mg/kg). Finally, the electrical activity of adrenergic neurons was dose-dependently enhanced by 8-OH-DPAT and pindolol (+99% and +83%, respectively). WAY-100,635 reversed this excitation and, itself, inhibited the activity of adrenergic neurons. In conclusion, via engagement of 5-HT1A receptors, pindolol inhibits serotonergic, and activates dopaminergic and adrenergic, neurons in anaesthetized rats. Such actions may contribute to its influence upon mood, both alone and in association with antidepressant agents.

Homeostatic regulation of serotonergic function by the serotonin transporter as revealed by nonviral gene transfer

With the aim of exploring the relationship between the serotonin transporter (5-HTT or SERT) and the activity level of serotonin (5-HT) neurotransmission, in vivo expression of this protein was specifically altered using a nonviral DNA transfer method. Plasmids containing the entire coding sequence or a partial antisense sequence of the 5-HTT gene were complexed with the cationic polymer polyethylenimine and injected into the dorsal raphe nucleus of adult male rats. Significant increase or decrease in both [(3)H]citalopram binding and [(3)H]5-HT synaptosomal uptake were observed in various brain areas up to 2 weeks after a single administration of the sense plasmid or 7 d after injection of the short antisense plasmid, respectively. Such changes in 5-HTT expression were associated with functional alterations in 5-HT neurotransmission, as shown by the increased capacity of 5-HT(1A) receptor stimulation to enhance [(35)S]GTP-gamma-S binding onto the dorsal raphe nucleus in sections from rats injected with the sense plasmid. Conversely, both a decrease in 5-HT(1A)-mediated [(35)S]GTP-gamma-S binding and a reduced potency of the 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist ipsapirone to inhibit neuronal firing were observed in the dorsal raphe nucleus of antisense plasmid-injected rats. Furthermore, changes in brain 5-HT and/or 5-HIAA levels, and sleep wakefulness circadian rhythm in the latter animals demonstrated that altered expression of 5-HTT by recombinant plasmids has important functional consequences on central 5-HT neurotransmission in adult rats.

Central 5-HT(1A) receptors: regional distribution and functional characteristics

Among the multiple receptors for serotonin identified to date, the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)(1A) type is among the best known because selective ligands have been available for more than 15 years. Radioactive derivatives allowed the demonstration of the presence of 5-HT(1A) binding sites mainly in the limbic areas and the raphe nuclei in the brain, where they correspond to postsynaptic receptors and "presynaptic" autoreceptors, respectively. This review article summarizes key data on the molecular, pharmacological, and differential functional properties of pre- versus postsynaptic 5-HT(1A) receptors.