title: Aniracetam, 1-BCP and cyclothiazide differentially modulate the function of NMDA and AMPA receptors mediating enhancement of noradrenaline release in rat hippocampal slices.
abstract: Aniracetam, 1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-yl-carbonyl)piperidine (1-BCP) and cyclothiazide, three compounds considered to enhance cognition through modulation of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA) receptors, were evaluated in the 'kynurenate test', a biochemical assay in which some nootropics have been shown to prevent the antagonism by kynurenic acid of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA)-evoked [3H]noradrenaline ([3H]NA) release from rat hippocampal slices. Aniracetam attenuated the kynurenate (100 microM) antagonism of the [3H]NA release elicited by 100 microM NMDA with high potency (EC50< or =0.1 microM). Cyclothiazide and 1-BCP were about 10 and 100 times less potent than aniracetam, respectively. The effect of aniracetam persisted in the presence of the AMPA receptor antagonist 6-nitro-7-sulphamoyl-benzo[f]quinoxaline-2,3-dione (NBQX) added at 5 microM, a concentration that did not affect NMDA receptors; in contrast, NBQX reduced the effect of 1-BCP and abolished that of cyclothiazide. The AMPA-evoked release of [3H]NA from hippocampal slices or synaptosomes was enhanced by cyclothiazide, less potently by 1-BCP and weakly by aniracetam. High concentrations of kynurenate (1 mM) antagonized the AMPA-evoked [3H]NA release in slices; this antagonism was attenuated by 1 microM cyclothiazide and reversed to an enhancement of AMPA-evoked [3H]NA release by 10 microM of the drug, but was insensitive to 1-BCP or aniracetam. It is concluded that aniracetam exerts a dual effect on glutamatergic transmission: modulation of NMDA receptor function at nanomolar concentrations, and modulation of AMPA receptors at high micromolar concentrations. As to cyclothiazide and 1-BCP, our data concur with the idea that both compounds largely act through AMPA receptors, although an NMDA component may be involved in the effect of 1-BCP.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento di Medicina Sperimentale, Università degli Studi di Genova, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pittaluga
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bonfanti
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Arvigo
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raiteri
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001581:Benzothiadiazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D004149:Dioxoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007736:Kynurenic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D016202:N-Methylaspartate / Q000494:pharmacology; D018697:Nootropic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism*; D010880:Piperidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D011760:Pyrrolidinones / Q000494:pharmacology; D011810:Quinoxalines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018091:Receptors, AMPA / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D014316:Tritium; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D001581:Benzothiadiazines; D004149:Dioxoles; D018690:Excitatory Amino Acid Agonists; D018691:Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists; D006571:Heterocyclic Compounds; D018697:Nootropic Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D011760:Pyrrolidinones; D011810:Quinoxalines; D018091:Receptors, AMPA; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D014316:Tritium; C062865:2,3-dioxo-6-nitro-7-sulfamoylbenzo(f)quinoxaline; C085415:1-(1,3-benzodioxol-5-ylcarbonyl)piperidine; C036466:aniracetam; D016202:N-Methylaspartate; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; D007736:Kynurenic Acid; C004639:cyclothiazide; D009638:Norepinephrine