title: Ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation in C57BL/6 mice following RO15-4513 administration.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of two partial benzodiazepine inverse agonists, RO15-4513 and FG-7142, alone and in combination with ethanol on locomotor activity in C57BL/6 mice. When administered alone, 1.5 g/kg ethanol did not significantly influence activity, confirming previous reports indicating this mouse strain is relatively insensitive to the excitatory properties of ethanol. RO15-4513 treatment also did not significantly influence locomotor activity when administered alone. However, coadministration of RO15-4513 (1.5-6 mg/kg) and ethanol markedly increased locomotor activity. Moreover, the unmasking of ethanol's stimulant action by RO15-4513 (6 mg/kg) was completely reversed by pretreatment with the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist RO15-1788. In contrast, FG-7142 (10-20 mg/kg) increased activity to the same extent in both saline and ethanol-injected mice. This effect was blocked by RO15-1788 pretreatment as well. Neither RO15-4513, FG-7142, nor RO15-1788 significantly influenced blood ethanol concentrations. It is suggested that RO15-4513 unmasked the stimulant effects of ethanol by virtue of its ability to antagonize the depressant properties of ethanol in C57BL/6 mice.
authors.affiliation: Veterans Administration Medical Center, Research Service, Charleston, SC.
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hale
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001386:Azides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001569:Benzodiazepines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002243:Carbolines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D001386:Azides; D002243:Carbolines; D001569:Benzodiazepines; D000431:Ethanol; D005442:Flumazenil; C035874:FG 7142; C042957:Ro 15-4513