title: Acute administration of 3-nitropropionic acid, a reactive oxygen species generator, boosts ethanol-induced locomotor stimulation. New support for the role of brain catalase in the behavioural effects of ethanol.
abstract: The antioxidant enzyme catalase by reacting with H(2)O(2), forms the compound known as compound I (catalase-H(2)O(2)). This compound is able to oxidise ethanol to acetaldehyde in the CNS. It has been demonstrated that 3-nitropropionic acid (3-NPA) induces the activity of the brain catalase-H(2)O(2) system. In this study, we tested the effect of 3-NPA on both the brain catalase-H(2)O(2) system and on the acute locomotor effect of ethanol. To find the optimal interval for the 3-NPA-ethanol interaction mice were treated with 3-NPA 0, 45, 90 and 135min before an ethanol injection (2.4mg/kg). In a second study, 3-NPA (0, 15, 30 or 45mg/kg) was administered SC to animals 90min before saline or several doses of ethanol (1.6 or 2.4g/kg), and the open-field behaviour was registered. The specificity of the effect of 3-NPA (45mg/kg) was evaluated on caffeine (10mg/kg IP) and cocaine (4mg/kg)-induced locomotion. The prevention of 3-NPA effects on both ethanol-induced locomotion and brain catalase activity by L-carnitine, a potent antioxidant, was also studied. Nitropropionic acid boosted ethanol-induced locomotion and brain catalase activity after 90min. The effect of 3-NPA was prevented by l-carnitine administration. These results indicate that 3-NPA enhanced ethanol-induced locomotion by increasing the activity of the brain catalase system.
authors.affiliation: Area de Psicobiologia, Universitat Jaume I, Castelló, Spain.
authors.forename: Héctor M
authors.initials: HM
authors.lastname: Manrique
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miquel
authors.forename: Carlos M G
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Aragon
mesh_terms: D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000378:metabolism*; D000640:Amitrole / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001923:Brain Chemistry / Q000187:drug effects*; D002110:Caffeine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002331:Carnitine / Q000494:pharmacology; D002374:Catalase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide / Q000378:metabolism; D008124:Locomotion / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008959:Models, Neurological; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000187:drug effects*; D009574:Nitro Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*; D016877:Oxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction / Q000187:drug effects; D011422:Propionates / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism*; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D009574:Nitro Compounds; D016877:Oxidants; D011422:Propionates; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D016194:Receptors, N-Methyl-D-Aspartate; D002110:Caffeine; D000431:Ethanol; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D002374:Catalase; D000079:Acetaldehyde; C015392:3-nitropropionic acid; D002331:Carnitine; D000640:Amitrole