[3H]rauwolscine behaves as an agonist for the 5-HT1A receptors in human frontal cortex membranes.
The alpha 2 adrenergic antagonist [3H]rauwolscine binds with comparable nanomolar affinity to alpha 2 adrenoceptors and the nonadrenergic 5-HT1A receptors sites in human frontal cortex membranes. Addition of 0.5 mM GTP into the incubation medium produces a significant decrease in the amount of [3H]rauwolscine binding sites (Bmax = 230 +/- 16 and 115 +/- 11 fmol/mg protein in the absence and presence of GTP, respectively). The affinity for [3H]rauwolscine remains unchanged (i.e. KD = 40 +/- 0.9 nM and 4.1 +/- 1 nM). This effect of GTP can be attributed to decreased binding of the radioligand to the 5-HT1A receptors. GTP decreases binding of [3H]rauwolscine to nearly the same level as the one corresponding to the alpha 2 adrenoceptors in membranes from both the human frontal cortex and hippocampus. The venom of the marine cone snail, Conus tessulatus, preferentially inhibits [3H]rauwolscine binding to 5-HT1A receptors as compared with the alpha 2 adrenoceptors. Following complete masking of the 5-HT1A receptors by this venom. GTP no longer affects the saturation binding characteristics of [3H]rauwolscine for the remaining alpha 2 adrenoceptors. Nucleotides decrease the binding of [3H]rauwolscine to the 5-HT1A receptors with an order of potencies (i.e. GTP gamma S greater than GPP(NH)P much greater than GDP greater than GTP much greater than ATP) that is typical for nucleotide-mediated receptor-G protein dissociation. This suggests that [3H]rauwolscine is a 5-HT1A receptor agonist and this conclusion is compatible with earlier functional studies, indicating that rauwolscine (as well as yohimbine) has agonistic properties at the level of 5-HT autoreceptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
De Vos
H
H
Department of Protein Chemistry, Free University Brussels, Belgium.
Czerwiec
E
E
De Backer
J P
JP
De Potter
W
W
Vauquelin
G
G
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000368:Aged; D004146:Dioxanes / Q000378:metabolism; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D006150:Guanine Nucleotides / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D019329:Idazoxan / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D008566:Membranes / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D008978:Mollusk Venoms / Q000494:pharmacology; D010646:Phentolamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D015016:Yohimbine / Q000494:pharmacology*
D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D004146:Dioxanes; D006150:Guanine Nucleotides; D008978:Mollusk Venoms; D011942:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D015016:Yohimbine; C058525:2-methoxyidazoxan; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D019329:Idazoxan; D010646:Phentolamine