title: The effect of LU-49938 (nexopamil) on the activation by serotonin of mesangial cells.
abstract: Intraglomerular platelet activation may release vasoactive agents such as serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) that may affect local hemodynamics and promote mesangial proliferation, eventually leading to glomerular sclerosis. The main purpose of this study is to analyze whether nexopamil, a verapamil derivative, with the property of blocking simultaneously calcium channels and 5-HT2 receptors, could modify the contractile and mitogenic effects of serotonin on cultured rat mesangial cells. Serotonin caused a concentration-dependent increase in [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, and mesangial cell proliferation. The effects of 5-HT on thymidine uptake and cell proliferation were blocked by the selective 5-HT2 receptor blocker ketanserin 10(-5) M. Nexopamil abolished in a concentration-dependent way the serotonin-induced [3H]thymidine incorporation into DNA, and the serotonin-induced increase in number of cells. Using 5-HT 10(-4) or 10(-5) M, nexopamil had significant effects at concentration above 10(-7) M. Serotonin induced a concentration- and time-dependent reduction of planar cell surface area. This effect was also completely blocked by ketanserin. Nexopamil partially blocked the serotonin-induced mesangial cell contraction, in a dose-dependent manner. All these data suggest that nexopamil inhibits both 5-HT-induced mesangial cell contraction and proliferation by blocking 5-HT2 receptors and the voltage-operated Ca2+ channels.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Fisiología y Farmacología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Salamanca, Spain.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Montero
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rodríguez-López
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Reverte
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: López-Novoa
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002452:Cell Count; D002455:Cell Division / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005920:Glomerular Mesangium / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects*; D007650:Ketanserin / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013936:Thymidine / Q000378:metabolism; D013997:Time Factors; D014700:Verapamil / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D012701:Serotonin; D007650:Ketanserin; D014700:Verapamil; C085177:nexopamil; D013936:Thymidine