title: Partial agonistic activity of R- and S-enantiomers of 8-OH-DPAT at 5-HT1A receptors.
abstract: In this study, the 5-HT1A agonistic activity of R- and S-enantiomers of the prototypical 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT was investigated using in vivo microiontophoresis and the hypothermic response in rats. Both the R- and S-enantiomers suppressed current-dependently the firing activity of dorsal hippocampus CA3 pyramidal neurons. The number of spikes suppressed/nA of R-(+)-OH-DPAT was about 2-fold greater than that of S-(-)-OH-DPAT, which indicates greater agonistic activity of the R-enantiomer. The determination of the effectiveness of 5-HT in suppressing the firing activity of CA3 pyramidal neurons prior to and during application of either the R- or S-enantiomer showed that both compounds antagonized the effect of 5-HT, thus demonstrating their partial agonistic activity. Racemic 8-OH-DPAT produced a dose-dependent hypothermia which was attenuated by the 5-HT1A antagonist pindolol, but not by the nonselective 5-HT antagonist methysergide. Similarly, both R- and S-enantiomers induced a dose-dependent hypothermia, which was greater and longer lasting in the case of R-(+)-OH-DPAT when compared to S-(-)-OH-DPAT. In conclusion, R-(+)-OH-DPAT, displayed a greater agonistic activity at 5-HT1A receptors than S-(-)-OH-DPAT, both in suppressing firing activity of CA3 pyramidal neurons and in decreasing body temperature. Nevertheless, both compounds behaved as partial agonists.
authors.affiliation: Neurobiological Psychiatry Unit, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hadrava
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Blier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: de Montigny
mesh_terms: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects; D007035:Hypothermia; D008297:Male; D017966:Pyramidal Cells / Q000187:drug effects; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin