title: Ex vivo inhibitory effect of the 5-HT uptake blocker citalopram on 5-HT synthesis.
abstract: Serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) synthesis was determined in vivo by measuring the accumulation of 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) in rat frontal cortex after inhibition of aromatic amino acid decarboxylase by administrative of m-hydroxybenzylhydrazine (NSD 1015) (100 mg/kg, i.p.). The selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor, citalopram, the 5-HT1A agonists, (+/-) 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)-tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), ipsapirone, gepirone and the 5-HT1A/B agonist, 7-trifluoromethyl-4(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl-pyrolo[1,2-a]-quinox ali ne (CGS 12066B), the 5-HT1A/B ligands and beta-adrenoceptor antagonists, (+/-) pindolol and (+/-) alprenolol, and the non-selective 5-HT ligands, m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP) and metergoline, all inhibited the synthesis of 5-HT. The 5-HT1A/5-HT2 antagonist, spiperone, alone, had no effect on basal 5-HT synthesis, however it attenuated the effect of 8-OH-DPAT by 56% and CGS 12066B by 39% but only barely that of citalopram by 17%. The selective 5-HT1A antagonist, WAY 100635, which did not modify by itself 5-HT synthesis, had no effect on citalopram-induced reduction of 5-HT synthesis. Neither the 5-HT2 agonist, (+/-)1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-indophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI) nor the 5-HT2 antagonist, ritanserin, had any effect on the synthesis of 5-HT. In addition, ritanserin did not modify the inhibitory effect of citalopram. Methiothepin was the only compound to increase 5-HT synthesis. These results suggest that the effect of citalopram on the synthesis of 5-HT is not mediated by 5-HT1A or 5-HT2 receptors and that other receptors may be involved.
authors.affiliation: Pierre Fabre Research Centre, Castres, France.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Moret
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Briley
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D015283:Citalopram / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003712:Dendrites / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D008297:Male; D017397:Prefrontal Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D012701:Serotonin / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D015283:Citalopram; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012701:Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors