title: Increased CRE-binding activity and tryptophan hydroxylase mRNA expression induced by 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") in the rat frontal cortex but not in the hippocampus.
abstract: A single administration of either 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, "ecstasy") or p-chloroamphetamine (PCA) produced a rapid and marked reduction of serotonin (5-HT) content in rat frontal cortex and hippocampus. In the cortex of MDMA-treated rats, 5-HT levels returned to control values 48 h after drug administration. This recovery was correlated with an induction of CRE-binding activity and an enhanced expression of tryptophan hydroxylase (TPH) mRNA, the rate-limiting enzyme in 5-HT biosynthesis, suggesting that MDMA may up-regulate the TPH gene through a CREB-dependent mechanism. In the cortex of PCA-treated rats, neither a recovery of 5-HT levels nor changes in DNA-binding or TPH mRNA were found at the same time point. In the hippocampus of rats receiving either PCA or MDMA a decrease in TPH mRNA levels was found at all times, along with a reduced CRE-binding at the 8-h time point. The results show region-specific effects of MDMA. In the frontal cortex, the increased TPH expression suggests a compensatory response to MDMA-induced loss of serotonergic function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, University of Navarra, School of Medicine, Aptdo. 177, 31080 Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: García-Osta
authors.forename: Joaquín
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Del Río
authors.forename: Diana
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Frechilla
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D015152:Blotting, Northern / Q000379:methods; D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D024202:Electrophoretic Mobility Shift Assay / Q000379:methods; D010134:Fenclonine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005625:Frontal Lobe / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D006624:Hippocampus / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011485:Protein Binding / Q000187:drug effects; D012333:RNA, Messenger / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D013997:Time Factors; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D017362:Cyclic AMP Response Element-Binding Protein; D006213:Hallucinogens; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D012701:Serotonin; D014365:Tryptophan Hydroxylase; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D010134:Fenclonine