title: Pharmacological characterization of 5-hydroxytryptamine-induced apnea in the rat.
abstract: To improve the pharmacological characterization of the receptors mediating 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-induced apnea the inhibitory effects of exogenous 5-HT on respiration and phrenic nerve activity (PNA) were studied in anesthetized rats. The effects of putative 5-HT receptor agonists and antagonists on respiratory parameters were examined. During spontaneous respiration the bolus i.v. injection of 5-HT (3.125-25 micrograms/kg) produced a transient apnea, the duration of which increased in a dose-related manner. In addition, during artificial respiration 5-HT produced a silent response of PNA, the duration of which increased dose-dependently. These responses were significantly antagonized by GR38032F, a selective 5-HT3 receptor antagonist. Ketanserin (100 micrograms/kg) and methysergide (100 micrograms/kg), 5-HT2 receptor antagonists, also inhibited the 5-HT-induced apnea. These effects of 5-HT on respiration were mimicked by 2-methyl-5-HT (3.125-25 micrograms/kg), a selective 5-HT3 receptor agonist, and by a high dose of alpha-methyl-5-HT, a 5-HT2 receptor agonist, but not by 5-carboxamidotryptamine, a 5-HT1-like receptor agonist. Lung compliance was greatly reduced and lung resistance greatly increased by 5-HT (3.125-25 micrograms/kg). The 5-HT-induced changes in lung compliance and lung resistance were antagonized markedly by both ketanserin (100 micrograms/kg) and methysergide (100 micrograms/kg), but not by GR38032F (100 micrograms/kg). Bilateral vagotomy above the nodose ganglia completely prevented both the changes in PNA and the apnea induced by 5-HT. These actions of 5-HT were not prevented, however, by cervical vagotomy below the level of the nodose ganglion. On the other hand, this cervical vagotomy completely blocked the alpha-methyl-5-HT-induced apnea.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: First Department of Pharmacology, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo, Japan.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yoshioka
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Goda
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Togashi
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D001049:Apnea / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016084:Bronchoconstriction / Q000187:drug effects; D004347:Drug Interactions; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007650:Ketanserin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008784:Methysergide / Q000494:pharmacology; D017294:Ondansetron; D010791:Phrenic Nerve / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012701:Serotonin / Q000633:toxicity*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D014628:Vagotomy
chemical_list: D007093:Imidazoles; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D012701:Serotonin; D017294:Ondansetron; D007650:Ketanserin; D008784:Methysergide