title: Fenfluramine-induced increase in preproenkephalin mRNA levels in the striatum: interaction between the serotonergic, glutamatergic, and dopaminergic systems.
abstract: Fenfluramine (FE) is a halogenated amphetamine derivative that has been used in the treatment of obesity. It has been suggested that the effects of FE on the striatum are mediated by serotonergic mechanisms. However, several major afferent systems may be involved, and administration of FE may be useful to study interactions between these systems. In this work, the effects of FE on striatopallidal neurons and the possible involvement of the major striatal afferent systems were studied in rats by determination of FE-induced changes in striatal levels of preproenkephalin (PPE) mRNA using in situ hybridization. Injection of FE induced a significant increase (60%) in striatal levels of PPE mRNA. This increase was blocked by pretreatment with the D(1) dopamine receptor antagonist SCH-23390 or with the NMDA glutamate receptor antagonist MK-801, or by lesion of the serotonergic system with 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine or p-chlorophenylalanine. In 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats, the lesion-induced increase in PPE mRNA levels was not affected by injection of FE, but was reduced by simultaneous serotonergic deafferentation. The results suggest that the serotonergic, glutamatergic, and dopaminergic system interact to increase striatal PPE mRNA levels after FE administration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Morphological Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Liste
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Muñoz
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Guerra
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Labandeira-Garcia
mesh_terms: D015116:5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine; D018663:Adrenergic Agents; D000818:Animals; D001552:Benzazepines / Q000494:pharmacology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000293:injuries / Q000378:metabolism; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate / Q000494:pharmacology; D004745:Enkephalins / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005277:Fenfluramine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016627:Oxidopamine; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D018490:Serotonin Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018663:Adrenergic Agents; D001552:Benzazepines; D004745:Enkephalins; D011498:Protein Precursors; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D017447:Receptors, Dopamine D1; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D018490:Serotonin Agents; D005277:Fenfluramine; D015116:5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine; D016291:Dizocilpine Maleate; D016627:Oxidopamine; C033660:preproenkephalin