title: Evidence that spinal 5-HT1, 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptor subtypes modulate responses to noxious colorectal distension in the rat.
abstract: This study examined whether the antinociception produced following the intrathecal (i.t.) administration of serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) and other 5-HT receptor agonists in a model of visceral pain that utilizes colorectal distension (CRD) as the noxious visceral stimulus is mediated through interaction with spinal 5-HT1, 5-HT2, or 5-HT3 receptor subtypes. CRD in conscious rats reliably elicits two pseudaffective reflexes: a vigorous pressor response and a visceromotor response. Antinociception is characterized by inhibition of both pseudaffective responses. The effects of 5-HT receptor agonists and antagonists on resting blood pressure were also examined. The i.t. administration of 5-HT resulted in a dose-dependent elevation of the visceromotor threshold and inhibition of the pressor response to CRD. The 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT, the 5-HT1B receptor agonist RU-24969, the 5-HT2 receptor agonists DOI, MK-212 and alpha-methyl-5-HT and the 5-HT3 agonist 2-methyl-5-HT all dose-dependently inhibited the pressor response and dose-dependently elevated the visceromotor threshold to noxious CRD. The rank order of potency of these agonists was the same for both pseudaffective responses to CRD: DOI greater than or equal to 8-OH-DPAT greater than or equal to MK-212 = RU-24969 greater than or equal to alpha-methyl-5-HT = 2-methyl-5-HT much greater than 5-HT. The antinociceptive effects of 5-HT, RU-24969, alpha-methyl-5-HT and DOI were antagonized by i.t. pretreatment with methysergide. Intrathecal pretreatment with ketanserin antagonized the antinociceptive effects of MK-212 and MDL-72222 antagonized the effects produced by 2-methyl-5-HT in response to CRD. The antinociceptive effects produced by 8-OH-DPAT were not antagonized by i.t. pretreatment with methysergide. These results demonstrate that 5-HT1, 5-HT2 and 5-HT3 receptors in the spinal cord mediate antinociception in response to noxious CRD in conscious rats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City 52242.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Danzebrink
authors.forename: G F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gebhart
mesh_terms: D000578:Amidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003106:Colon / Q000502:physiology*; D007211:Indoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D007650:Ketanserin / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008784:Methysergide / Q000494:pharmacology; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D009130:Muscle, Smooth / Q000502:physiology; D009132:Muscles / Q000502:physiology; D011312:Pressure; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012007:Rectum / Q000502:physiology*; D012018:Reflex; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology*; D014326:Tropanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D000077526:Tropisetron
chemical_list: D000578:Amidines; D007211:Indoles; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D014326:Tropanes; D000077526:Tropisetron; D007650:Ketanserin; C005894:xylamidine; C042253:bemesetron; D008784:Methysergide