title: Brainstem serotonin receptors in the guinea pig: implications for myoclonus.
abstract: The brainstem is the locus of serotonin (5-HT)-mediated myoclonus in the guinea pig, which is induced by 5-hydroxy-L-tryptophan (L-5-HTP) and indole but not piperazine 5-HT receptor agonists. As an initial step in testing the hypothesis that one 5-HT receptor subtype mediates this effect, we measured seven 5-HT receptor binding sites and the 5-HT uptake site in guinea pig brainstem and compared them to the rat. In guinea pig brainstem, the rank order of binding site density was: 5-HT transporter site >> 5-HT1D > antagonist-labeled 5-HT2 > 5-HT1A, 5-HT1C > 5-HT1E > agonist-labeled 5-HT2 binding site. There were fewer 5-HT1A and 5-HT1C binding sites and 5-HT uptake sites in guinea pig than rat brainstem, more 5-HT1D and antagonist-labeled 5-HT2 sites, but the differences were 2-fold or less. The major species difference was that 5-HT1B sites were virtually undetectable in guinea pig brainstem. Limited competition experiments with related 5-HT receptor subtype-selective agonists and antagonists suggested that the sites in guinea pig brainstem conformed to those described in the rat. 5-HT agonist and antagonist dose-threshold and dose maximum-effect data from guinea pig myoclonus in vivo were compared with receptor affinities at each receptor site in vitro from the literature. No convincing correlation between myoclonus and one particular 5-HT site was found. These data indicate the presence of a full complement of 5-HT receptor binding site subtypes in guinea pig brainstem with some species differences.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors: Department of Neurology, George Washington University, Washington, D.C.
authors: M R
authors: MR
authors: Pranzatelli
authors: P T
authors: PT
authors: Tailor
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Razi
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001667:Binding, Competitive / Q000187:drug effects; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000378:metabolism*; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D009207:Myoclonus / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000502:physiology; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D012701:Serotonin; D017374:Paroxetine