title: The effect of oral 5-HTP administration on 5-HTP and 5-HT immunoreactivity in monoaminergic brain regions of rats.
abstract: 5-Hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP), which is the rate-limiting precursor in serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)) biosynthesis, is used as an oral supplement to enhance serotonin levels in humans. To evaluate its effects on serotonin levels and localization, 5-hydroxytryptophan was administered to Sprague-Dawley rats either orally or via intraperitoneal injection. 5-Hydroxytryptophan-immunoreactivity was co-localized with serotonin-immunoreactivity in the serotonergic dorsal raphe nucleus of control animals and this was not changed in animals given 5-hydroxytryptophan. Oral 5-HTP administration increased the intensity of both 5-HTP and serotonin immunoreactivity in raphe neurons. However, 5-HTP treatment also caused ectopic 5-hydroxytryptophan-immunoreactivity and serotonin-immunoreactivity in normally dopaminergic neurons of the substantia nigra par compacta. Serotonin-immunoreactivity was confined to neurons that also displayed amino acid decarboxylase immunoreactivity, but in a small percentage of substantia nigra neurons, serotonin immunoreactivity was not co-localized with tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactivity. The intensity of the immunoreactivity to serotonin and 5-hydroxytryptophan in the substantia nigra was maximal within 2h of 5-hydroxytryptophan administration and returned to control levels by 24h. This time course mirrored changes in HPLC measurements of 5-hydroxytryptophan, serotonin, and the metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in the urine. 5-Hydroxytryptophan administration did not cause ectopic appearance of either serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptophan in the noradrenergic locus coeruleus. These results suggest that a single oral dose of 5-HTP increases the 5-HTP and serotonin content of serotonergic neurons and causes the transient ectopic appearance of serotonin in some normally non-serotonergic neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, MSC 8L0389, Georgia State University, 33 Gilmer St SE Unit 8, Atlanta, GA 30303-3088, USA.
authors.forename: Christina P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Lynn-Bullock
authors.forename: Kristy
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Welshhans
authors.forename: Sarah L
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Pallas
authors.forename: Paul S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Katz
mesh_terms: D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine; D000284:Administration, Oral; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism*; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000652:urine; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007274:Injections, Intraperitoneal; D018613:Microscopy, Confocal; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D012701:Serotonin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D006916:5-Hydroxytryptophan