title: Prenatal cocaine exposure potentiates paroxetine-induced desensitization of 5-HT2A receptor function in adult male rat offspring.
abstract: This study investigated the ability of prenatal exposure to cocaine to alter serotonin(2A) (5-HT(2A)) receptor function and paroxetine-induced desensitization of 5-HT(2A) receptor function in rat offspring. Following exposure to saline or (-)cocaine (15 mg/kg, s.c., b.i.d.), during gestational days 13-20, adult male offspring were treated with either saline or paroxetine (10 mg/kg/day, i.p. 14 days). Eighteen hours post-treatment, changes in the stimulation of oxytocin, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone by (-)4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenylisopropylamine (DOI, 0.5 or 2.0 mg/kg, s.c.) and in 5-HT(2A) receptor densities were determined. Prenatal cocaine exposure did not alter 5-HT(2A) receptor-mediated neuroendocrine responses or 5-HT(2A) receptor densities. In contrast, paroxetine treatment reduced cortical 5-HT(2A) receptors (18-25%) and desensitized 5-HT(2A) receptor-mediated oxytocin responses in both offspring groups. Furthermore, in cocaine offspring, paroxetine produced an inhibition of 5-HT(2A) receptor-mediated increase in plasma ACTH levels and a greater attenuation of the oxytocin responses to (-)DOI. Paroxetine-induced reductions in body weight gain (-8.8%) were comparable in both offspring groups. These data, demonstrating that prenatal exposure to cocaine potentiates paroxetine-induced desensitization of 5-HT(2A) receptor function, may be clinically relevant with respect to treating mood disorders in adults exposed in utero to cocaine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Center for Serotonin Disorders Research, Loyola University of Chicago, Stritch School of Medicine, 2160 South First Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kate
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Waimey
authors.forename: Louis D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Van de Kar
authors.forename: Gonzalo A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Carrasco
authors.forename: Michelle
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Landry
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Battaglia
mesh_terms: D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D003042:Cocaine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D010121:Oxytocin / Q000097:blood; D017374:Paroxetine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A / Q000378:metabolism*; D058830:Serotonin 5-HT2 Receptor Antagonists
chemical_list: D044402:Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2A; D058830:Serotonin 5-HT2 Receptor Antagonists; D017374:Paroxetine; D010121:Oxytocin; D000324:Adrenocorticotropic Hormone; D003042:Cocaine; D003345:Corticosterone