title: Increased midbrain 5-HT1A receptor number and responsiveness in cholestatic rats.
abstract: Midbrain somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors play a central inhibitory role in the regulation of serotonergic neurotransmission. Given that serotonergic neurotransmission appears to be altered in experimental cholestatic liver disease we examined alterations in midbrain 5-HT1A autoreceptor binding and physiological responses in rats with experimental cholestatic liver disease in comparison to non-cholestatic controls. Using a standard receptor binding assay cholestatic rats exhibited an increase in midbrain 5-HT1A receptor number but no change in receptor affinity compared to controls. Midbrain 5-HT1A receptor mRNA expression as determined by semiquantitative RT-PCR was similar in cholestatic and non-cholestatic animals. In addition, cholestatic rats exhibited enhanced 5-HT1A autoreceptor-mediated hypothermic and hyperphagic responses compared to non-cholestatic controls after the administration of the highly specific 5-HT1A receptor agonist LY293284. These findings indicate that experimental cholestatic liver injury is associated with enhanced 5-HT1A autoreceptor-mediated physiological responsiveness in the setting of increased midbrain 5-HT1A receptor number but not affinity.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, Gastroenterology Research Group, Health Sciences Center, University of Calgary, 3330 Hospital Drive NW, Alberta, T2N 4N1, Calgary, Canada.
authors.forename: K W
authors.initials: KW
authors.lastname: Burak
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Le
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Swain
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002779:Cholestasis / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000096:biosynthesis; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D044263:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT1; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D013696:Temperature; D014363:Tryptamines / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D012333:RNA, Messenger; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D044263:Receptors, Serotonin, 5-HT1; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D014363:Tryptamines; C089776:LY 293284