Regulation of G proteins by chronic antidepressant drug treatment in rat brain: tricyclics but not clorgyline increase Go alpha subunits.
The effect of long-term (3-week) administration of various antidepressant drugs on the steady-state concentrations of G protein alpha subunits, Gs alpha, Gi alpha, and Go alpha, has been investigated in rat brain using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Tricyclic antidepressants and clorgyline decreased Gs alpha and, to a lesser extent, Gi alpha in several brain regions, while Go alpha was increased by tricyclics but not clorgyline. We conclude that long-term treatment with antidepressant drugs exerts differential effects on G protein alpha subunits, and that antidepressant efficacy may potentially be based on functional modifications of signal transduction.
Lesch
K P
KP
Laboratory of Clinical Science, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
Aulakh
C S
CS
Tolliver
T J
TJ
Hill
J L
JL
Murphy
D L
DL
D000818:Animals; D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D003010:Clorgyline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors
D000929:Antidepressive Agents, Tricyclic; D046911:Macromolecular Substances; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins; D003010:Clorgyline