Nitric oxide synthase inhibitors enhance 5-HT2 receptor-mediated behavior, the head-twitch response in mice

AMPA receptor involvement in 5-hydroxytryptamine2A receptor-mediated pre-frontal cortical excitatory synaptic currents and DOI-induced head shakes

Glutamate plays an important role in the psychotomimetic effects of both channel blocking N-methyl D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists and hallucinogenic drugs which activate 5-hydroxytryptamine2A (5-HT2A) receptors. Previous work suggested that activation of non-NMDA ionotropic glutamate receptors mediates the effects of 5-HT-induced excitatory post-synaptic potentials/currents (EPSPs/EPSCs) when recording from layer V pyramidal cells in the rat medial pre-frontal cortex (mPFC). However, those effects are mediated by either alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) or kainate receptors of the iGluk5 subtype. To test whether activation of AMPA receptors is sufficient to mediate 5-HT-induced EPSCs, a 2,3-benzodiazepine that selectively blocks AMPA receptors was assessed. This selective AMPA receptor antagonist potently suppressed 5-HT-induced EPSCs. Since phenethylamine hallucinogens induce head shakes by activating 5-HT2A receptors in the mPFC and this action is modulated by glutamate, we also examined whether selective blockade of AMPA receptors would suppress DOI-induced head shakes. As predicted, we found that selective blockade of AMPA receptors suppressed DOI-induced head shakes. Given evidence that activation of AMPA receptors is an important downstream effect for both channel blocking NMDA receptor antagonists and phenethylamine hallucinogens, we also tested multiple doses of DOI with a sub-anesthetic dose of MK-801. Synergistic action between these two classes of psychotomimetic drugs was demonstrated by MK-801 enhancing DOI-induced head shakes and locomotor activity. These findings expand the dependence of both channel blocking NMDA receptor antagonists and phenethylamine hallucinogens on enhancing extracellular glutamate.

Evidence for serotonin receptor subtypes involvement in agmatine antidepressant like-effect in the mouse forced swimming test

This study investigated the involvement of 5-HT(1) and 5-HT(2) receptors in the antidepressant-like effect of agmatine in the mouse forced swimming test (FST). Pretreatment with p-chlorophenylalanine methyl ester (PCPA; 100 mg/kg, intraperitoneally (i.p.), an inhibitor of serotonin synthesis, for 4 consecutive days), methysergide (5 mg/kg, i.p., a serotonin (5-HT) antagonist), pindolol (32 mg/kg, i.p., a 5-HT(1A/1B) receptor/beta-adrenoceptor antagonist), N-[2-[4-(2-methoxyphenyl)-1-piperazinyl]ethyl]-N-(2-pyridynyl)cyclohexanecarboxamide (WAY 100635; 0.3 mg/kg, subcutaneously (s.c.), a selective 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist), 1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-4[-(2-phthalimido)butyl]piperazine) (NAN-190; 0.5 mg/kg, i.p., a 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist), 1-(2-(1-pyrrolyl)-phenoxy)-3-isopropylamino-2-propanol (isamoltane; 2.5 mg/kg, i.p., a 5-HT(1B) receptor antagonist), cyproheptadine (3 mg/kg, i.p., a 5-HT(2) antagonist) or ketanserin (5 mg/kg, i.p., a 5-HT(2A/2C) receptor antagonist), but not with propranolol (2 mg/kg, i.p., a beta-adrenoceptor antagonist), prevented the effect of agmatine (10 mg/kg, i.p.) in the FST. A subeffective dose of agmatine (0.001 mg/kg, i.p.) produced a synergistic antidepressant-like effect with pindolol (32 mg/kg), NAN-190 (0.5 mg/kg, i.p.), WAY 100635 (0.03 mg/kg, s.c.), (+)-8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin HBr (8-OH-DPAT; 0.01 mg/kg, i.p., a 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist), R(-)-1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane HCl (DOI; 1 mg/kg, i.p., a preferential 5-HT(2A) receptor agonist), or fluoxetine (10 mg/kg, i.p., a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, SSRI) but not with isamoltane (2.5 mg/kg, i.p.), ritanserin (4 mg/kg, i.p., a 5-HT(2A/2C) receptor antagonist) or ketanserin (5 mg/kg, i.p.). Taken together, the results firstly demonstrate that agmatine antidepressant-like effects in the FST seem to be mediated, at least in part, by an interaction with 5-HT(1A/1B) and 5-HT(2) receptors.

Effects of a nitric oxide donor on behavior and interaction with nitrous oxide in the mouse light/dark exploration test

There is controversy whether endogenous nitric oxide (NO) is involved in anxiogenesis or anxiolysis. This study was conducted to determine the influence of the NO donor, 3-morpholinosyndnonimine (SIN-1), on resting and nitrous oxide (N(2)O)-induced behaviors in the mouse light/dark exploration test. I.c.v. doses of 0.3 and 1.0 microg SIN-1 both increased the time spent in the light compartment. When pretreated with 0.1 microg SIN-1, mice responded to N(2)O with an apparent additive increase in the time spent in the light compartment. These findings further support a functional role of NO in regulation of anxiety and mediation of N(2)O-induced behavior.