title: Effect of calmodulin antagonists on calcium and ethanol-induced sleeping time in mice.
abstract: This investigation was carried out to determine if calcium prolongation of ethanol-induced sleep is mediated by calmodulin and a calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. The duration of ethanol-induced sleeping time in ddY male mice was measured following the administration of CaCl2 (20, 40, 80 and 200 mumol/kg, intraperitoneally (IP) both with and without the calmodulin antagonists, W-7: [N-(6-Aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide] (4.2 micrograms/mouse, intraventricular (IVT) or trifluoperazine (TFP; 1.8 micrograms/mouse, IVT). When CaCl2 was administered in a dose dependent manner the duration of ethanol-induced sleep was prolonged. The prolongation was antagonized by W-7 and TFP. When mice were treated with W-7 or TFP together with serotonin (5-HT; 15 nmol/mouse, IVT), dopamine (DA; 30 nmol/mouse, IVT) or norepinephrine (NE; 30 nmol/mouse, IVT), the sleeping time induced by ethanol and calcium was enhanced. This finding suggests that W-7 and TFP selectively inhibit the synthesis of 5-HT, DA and NE, but they do not affect other neuronal functions of these biogenic amines. The results would suggest a probable mechanism in which Ca++ prolongs ethanol-induced sleeping time by activating tyrosine hydroxylase and tryptophan hydroxylase through intracerebral calmodulin and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, which subsequently raise the levels of 5-HT, DA and NE.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000494:pharmacology; D002118:Calcium / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002122:Calcium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D002147:Calmodulin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D012890:Sleep / Q000187:drug effects*; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014268:Trifluoperazine / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D001679:Biogenic Amines; D002147:Calmodulin; D013449:Sulfonamides; D014268:Trifluoperazine; D000431:Ethanol; C017967:W 7; D002122:Calcium Chloride; D002118:Calcium