title: Effects of 5-HT agonists, selective for different receptor subtypes, on oxytocin, CCK, gastrin and somatostatin plasma levels in the rat.
abstract: Adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were administered the 5-HT subtype selective receptor agonists 8-OH-DPAT (0.5-2.0 mg/kg), buspirone (2-8 mg/kg) (5-HT1A), TFMPP (0.125-2.0 mg/kg) (5-HT1B), DOI (0.125-2.0 mg/kg) (5-HT2A) and m-CPBG (1.25-20.0 mg/kg) (5-HT3), subcutaneously. Oxytocin, cholecystokinin (CCK), somatostatin and gastrin plasma levels were determined by standard RIA techniques 30 and 120 min after injection of the respective 5-HT receptor agonist. It was found that the 5-HT1A and the 5-HT2A/C, but not the 5-HT2B or the 5-HT3 receptor agonists produced an increase in plasma oxytocin levels and these effects were, at least partially, antagonized by the corresponding subtype selective antagonists (-)pindolol (2 mg/kg) and ritanserin (2 mg/kg), respectively, administered 10 min before 8-OH-DPAT (0.5 mg/kg) or DOI (0.5 mg/kg). The maximal response to the 5-HT1A receptor agonists (approx. 120 nmol/l) was from 8 to 5 times the maximal response to the 5-HT2A C receptor agonist. In addition, 8-OH-DPAT and DOI caused a decrease in plasma CCK levels, whereas the 5-HT1B receptor agonist TFMPP gave rise to an increase in plasma CCK levels. There were no statistically significant effects by any of the 5-HT receptor agonists on plasma somatostatin or gastrin levels under the present conditions. It is suggested that the clinical effects of new anxiolytic 5-HT1A receptor agonists, such as buspirone, to an extent may be mediated via an increased release of oxytocin.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Uvnäs-Moberg
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Hillegaart
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Alster
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ahlenius
mesh_terms: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000662:Amphetamines / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002766:Cholecystokinin / Q000097:blood; D005755:Gastrins / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009479:Neuropeptides / Q000097:blood*; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000097:blood; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D000662:Amphetamines; D005755:Gastrins; D009479:Neuropeptides; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D010121:Oxytocin; D013004:Somatostatin; D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin; D002766:Cholecystokinin; C015952:4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylisopropylamine