title: The effects of serotonin on glucocorticoid receptor binding in rat raphe nuclei and hippocampal cells in culture.
abstract: The raphe-hippocampal serotonin (5-HT) system is involved in the regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis. The purpose of this study was to determine and compare the roles of 5-HT in the regulation of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) binding in the raphe nuclei and in the hippocampus. The effects of 5-HT, 5-HT agonists, and the 5-HT reuptake inhibitor citalopram on GR binding sites were studied in primary cultures of the fetal raphe nuclei and the hippocampus. Exposure of hippocampal cells to 5-HT, (+/-)-2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine (DOI; a 5-HT2 agonist), or citalopram resulted in an increase in number of GR binding sites. The effect of DOI was blocked by ketanserin (a 5-HT2 antagonist). Specific and saturable GR binding was found in raphe cells. Exposure of raphe cells to 5-HT, (+/-)-8 hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin (8-OH-DPAT; a 5-HT1A agonist), or citalopram induced a significant decrease in number of GR binding sites. The effect of 8-OH-DPAT was reversed by WAY 100135 [N-tert-butyl-3-[1-[1-(2-methoxy)phenyl]piperazinyl]-1-phenylpropiona mide; a 5-HT1A antagonist]. These results show that the regulation of GRs during fetal life is structure-dependent and involves different 5-HT receptor subtypes. Moreover, the regulation of hippocampal GRs by citalopram suggests an action of antidepressants independent of their effects on monoamines.
authors.affiliation: INSERM U. 501, Laboratoire des Interactions Fonctionnelles en Neuroendocrinologie, IFR Jean Roche, UER de Médecine Nord, Marseille, France. herym@jean-roche.univ-mrs.fr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Héry
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sémont
authors.forename: M P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Fache
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Faudon
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Héry
mesh_terms: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001665:Binding Sites / Q000187:drug effects; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D015283:Citalopram / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D017371:8-Hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)tetralin; D015283:Citalopram; D011965:Receptors, Glucocorticoid; D012701:Serotonin; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors