title: Drug treatments to reduce excitotoxicity in vivo: a potential for alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonists?
abstract: It is hypothesized that the locus coeruleus-noradrenergic system controls compensatory and repair mechanisms in the CNS, and that its dysfunction is a critical factor in the progression of central neurodegenerative diseases. Pharmacological activation of locus coeruleus neurons can be achieved with alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonists, and such compounds are protective in vivo in some models of brain injury where excitotoxicity is thought to be a causative factor. To further explore this neuroprotective potential, the effects of a 7-day treatment with the alpha2-antagonists, (+)-efaroxan and (+/-)-idazoxan, were evaluated in rats undergoing a unilateral lesioning of the striatum with the excitotoxin, quinolinic acid. The alpha2-antagonist treatments reduced both the ipsiversive circling response to apomorphine and the deficit of choline acetyltransferase in the lesioned animals. To elucidate the mechanisms underlying this neuroprotective effect, a modulation of the extracellular levels of amino acids within the striatum was investigated using in vivo microdialysis. Intrastriatal injection of quinolinic acid increased taurine and tyrosine levels by 2-2.5 fold, while most other amino acids were not significantly altered; the effect of (+)-efaroxan on these changes is being investigated. Further research is required to identify which of several possible mechanisms is involved in the neuroprotective action of alpha2-antagonists in vivo.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurobiology I, Centre de Recherche Pierre Fabre, Castres, France. jean.claude.martel@pierre-fabre.com
authors.forename: J C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Martel
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chopin
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Colpaert
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Marien
mesh_terms: D058669:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D019329:Idazoxan / Q000494:pharmacology; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley
chemical_list: D058669:Adrenergic alpha-2 Receptor Antagonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D001572:Benzofurans; D007093:Imidazoles; C062597:efaroxan; D019329:Idazoxan