title: Vasopressin and amastatin induce V(1)-receptor-mediated suppression of excitatory transmission in the rat parabrachial nucleus.
abstract: We examined actions of arginine vasopressin (AVP) and amastatin (an inhibitor of the aminopeptidase that cleaves AVP) on synaptic currents in slices of rat parabrachial nucleus using the nystatin-perforated patch recording technique. AVP reversibly decreased the amplitude of the evoked, glutamate-mediated, excitatory postsynaptic current (EPSC) with an increase in paired-pulse ratio. No apparent changes in postsynaptic membrane properties were revealed by ramp protocols, and the inward current induced by a brief application of alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionic acid was unchanged after AVP. The reduction induced by 1 microM AVP could be blocked by a V(1) AVP receptor antagonist, [d(CH(2))(5)(1)-O-Me-Tyr(2)-Arg(8)]-vasopressin (Manning compound, 10 microM). Bath application of an aminopeptidase inhibitor, amastatin (10 microM), reduced the evoked EPSC, and AVP induced further synaptic depression in the presence of amastatin. Amastatin's effects also could be antagonized by the Manning compound. Corticotropin-releasing hormone slightly increased the EPSC at 1 microM, and coapplication with AVP attenuated the AVP response. Pretreatment of slices with 1 microg/ml cholera toxin or 0.5 microg/ml pertussis toxin for 20 h did not significantly affect AVP's synaptic action. The results suggest that AVP has suppressant effects on glutamatergic transmission by acting at V(1) AVP receptors, possibly through a presynaptic mechanism involving a pertussis-toxin- and cholera-toxin-resistant pathway.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Group and Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta T2N 4N1, Canada.
authors.forename: X
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Q J
authors.initials: QJ
authors.lastname: Pittman
mesh_terms: D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate / Q000494:pharmacology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002772:Cholera Toxin / Q000494:pharmacology; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000494:pharmacology; D005071:Evoked Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D006727:Hormone Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000502:physiology; D018408:Patch-Clamp Techniques; D010455:Peptides; D037342:Pertussis Toxin; D011149:Pons / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects*; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella / Q000494:pharmacology; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D006727:Hormone Antagonists; D010455:Peptides; D017483:Receptors, Vasopressin; D010566:Virulence Factors, Bordetella; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; C016977:amastatin; C025043:vasopressin, 1-(1-mercaptocyclohexaneacetic acid)-2-(O- methyl-L-tyrosine)-8-L-arginine-; D015763:2-Amino-5-phosphonovalerate; D018350:alpha-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid; D002772:Cholera Toxin; D003346:Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone; D037342:Pertussis Toxin