Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical axis changes in the rat after long-term treatment with the reversible monoamine oxidase-A inhibitor moclobemide.
The effects of the reversible monoamine oxidaseA (MAOA) inhibitor moclobemide on the rat hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis were studied. The time-course experiments showed that moclobemide, given via the drinking water (4.5 mg/kg/day), produces significant decreases (p < 0.05) in adrenal weight after 5 (-23%) and 7 weeks (-16%) of treatment. It was found that long-term moclobemide treatment had neuroanatomically distinct effects on corticosteroid receptor expression. Hippocampal mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) levels were upregulated at 2 (+65%), 5 (+76%) and 7 (+19%) weeks of treatment. Glucocorticoid receptor (GR) levels in this limbic brain structure were slightly up-regulated by 10% at 5 weeks, and indistinguishable from controls after 2 and 7 weeks of treatment. After 5 weeks of treatment, MR levels were unchanged in the hypothalamus, and increased by 44, 24 and 28% in the neocortex, amygdala and anterior pituitary, respectively. GR concentrations were elevated by 24 and 14% in the hypothalamus and anterior pituitary, respectively, whereas neocortical and amygdaloid receptor levels were not altered. After 5 weeks of moclobemide treatment, marked decreases in [125I]Tyr0-ovine corticotropin-releasing hormone ([125I])-oCRH binding capacity and proopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA content were observed in the anterior pituitary. Regarding the functional implications of long-term anti-depressant treatment, moclobemide treatment (5 weeks, 4.5 mg/kg/day) significantly attenuated stress (30-min novel environment)-induced plasma ACTH (-35%) and corticosterone (-29%) levels; no changes were observed in basal plasma ACTH and corticosterone levels. In conclusion, this study shows that moclobemide has a concerted influence on multiple elements of the HPA axis manifesting functionally as a reduced neuroendocrine responsiveness to stress. In previous experiments, it was found that the structurally and pharmacologically distinct antidepressant amitriptyline after long-term administration also attenuated HPA axis activity. We postulate that an adjustement of HPA axis activity may be regarded as a common denominator for clinically efficacious antidepressant drugs.
Max-Planck Institute of Psychiatry, Department of Neuroendocrinology, Munich, Germany.
J M
JM
Reul
M S
MS
Labeur
D E
DE
Grigoriadis
E B
EB
De Souza
F
F
Holsboer
D000302:Adrenal Cortex / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001549:Benzamides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism; D015870:Gene Expression; D007031:Hypothalamus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D020912:Moclobemide; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009929:Organ Size / Q000187:drug effects; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D010903:Pituitary Gland, Anterior / Q000378:metabolism; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin / Q000235:genetics; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000378:metabolism; D011987:Receptors, Steroid / Q000378:metabolism
D001549:Benzamides; D008996:Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D018019:Receptors, Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D011987:Receptors, Steroid; D011333:Pro-Opiomelanocortin; D020912:Moclobemide