title: Studies on striatal neurotoxicity caused by the 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine/ malonate combination: implications for serotonin/dopamine interactions.
abstract: The amphetamine derivative 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) produces long-term toxicity to serotonin (5-HT) neurones in rats, which is exacerbated when combined with the mitochondrial inhibitor malonate. Moreover, MDMA, which does not produce dopamine depletion in the rat, potentiates malonate-induced striatal dopamine toxicity. Because the malonate/MDMA combination acutely causes a synergistic increase of 5-HT and dopamine release, in this study we sought to determine whether pharmacological blockade of MDMA- and/or malonate-induced dopamine release prevents neurotoxicity. Fluoxetine, given 30 min prior to the malonate/MDMA combination, afforded complete protection against 5-HT depletion and reversed MDMA-induced exacerbation of dopamine toxicity found in the malonate/MDMA treated rats. Protection afforded by fluoxetine was not related to changes in MDMA-induced hyperthermia. Similarly, potentiation of malonate-induced dopamine toxicity caused by MDMA was not observed in p-chlorophenylalanine-5-HT depleted rats. Finally, the dopamine transporter inhibitor GBR 12909 completely prevented dopamine neurotoxicity caused by the malonate/MDMA combination and reversed the exacerbating toxic effects of malonate on MDMA-induced 5-HT depletion without significantly altering the hyperthermic response. Overall, these results suggest that the synergic release of dopamine caused by the malonate/MDMA combination plays an important role in the long-term toxic effects. A possible mechanism of neurotoxicity and protection is proposed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
authors.forename: Beatriz
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Goñi-Allo
authors.forename: Mar'a
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ramos
authors.forename: Isabel
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Herv'as
authors.forename: Berta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lasheras
authors.forename: Norberto
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Aguirre
mesh_terms: D019969:Amphetamine-Related Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D002470:Cell Survival / Q000187:drug effects; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004357:Drug Synergism; D005473:Fluoxetine / Q000494:pharmacology; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000633:toxicity*; D008297:Male; D008314:Malonates / Q000633:toxicity*; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000633:toxicity*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism; D018490:Serotonin Agents / Q000633:toxicity*; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D004298:Dopamine; D018765:Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors; D005473:Fluoxetine; D006213:Hallucinogens; D008314:Malonates; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D010879:Piperazines; D012701:Serotonin; D018490:Serotonin Agents; D017367:Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors; C043425:vanoxerine; C030290:malonic acid