Selective facilitation of the serotonin(1B) receptor causes disorganization of thalamic afferents and barrels in somatosensory cortex of rat.
Alteration of serotonin (5-HT) levels influences developing thalamocortical afferents (TCAs) in primary somatosensory cortex (SI) of rats and mice. The 5-HT(1B) receptor, present on TCAs during the first postnatal week, may be involved in these effects. The present study asked whether administration of 5-nonyloxytriptamine (NNT), a selective 5-HT(1B) receptor agonist, affects TCA organization in rat SI. Littermates were injected five times daily (5x/day), with either 0.1 mg/kg NNT or vehicle from birth to postnatal day 6 (P-6). Animals were killed on P-6, and their brains were processed for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), cytochrome oxidase (CO) histochemistry, cresyl violet, or demonstration of TCAs by placement of 1,1'-dioctadecyl-3,3,3'' 3'-tetra-methylindocarbocyanine perchlorate (Di-I) on thalamocortical radiations. At P-6, NNT treatment decreased 5-HT levels slightly compared with controls, although this difference was not statistically significant. In NNT-treated rats, the Di-I-labeled vibrissae-related pattern showed a range of effects, from fusion of patches related to mystacial vibrissae in treated animals to a less distinct vibrissae-related pattern in SI barrelfield compared with controls. Staining for CO and Nissl stain in layer IV of SI showed a similar range of abnormalities. These results indicate that the agonist action of NNT at the 5-HT(1B) receptor causes TCA disorganization in rat barrel field cortex in the absence of elevated 5-HT.
Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, Medical College of Ohio, Toledo, Ohio 43614-5804, USA. cayoung@mco.edu
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Young-Davies
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Bennett-Clarke
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D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000737:chemistry / Q000502:physiology*; D009929:Organ Size; D051381:Rats / Q000502:physiology*; D044302:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000032:analysis; D013003:Somatosensory Cortex / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D013788:Thalamus / Q000166:cytology* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000502:physiology; D024505:Tocopherols; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D044302:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT1B; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D014810:Vitamin E; D012701:Serotonin; C034417:5-nicotinooxymethyl-alpha-tocopherylnicotinate; D024505:Tocopherols