title: Role of G(q) protein in behavioral effects of the hallucinogenic drug 1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane.
abstract: Extensive evidence suggests that 5-HT2 receptors may play a role in mental disorders including schizophrenia. In addition, several studies indicate that G(q)-coupled 5-HT(2A) receptors are likely targets for the initiation of events leading to the hallucinogenic behavior elicited by lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), (+/-)1-(2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodophenyl)-2-aminopropane (DOI), and related drugs. However, 5-HT(2A) receptors couple to other G proteins in addition to G(q) protein. To evaluate the role of the G(q) signaling pathway in DOI-induced behaviors, we utilized two behavioral models of 5-HT(2A) receptor activation: induction of head-twitches by DOI, a common response to hallucinogenic drugs in rodents, and DOI elicited anxiolytic-like effects in the elevated plus maze. Experimental subjects were genetically modified mice [Galpha(q)(-/-)] in which the G(q) alpha gene was eliminated. Galpha(q)(-/-) mice exhibited a decrease in DOI-induced head-twitches, when compared to wild-type littermates. In addition, the DOI-induced increase in anxiolytic-like behavior was abolished in Galpha(q)(-/-) mice. These results, combined with our finding that DOI-induced FOS expression in the medial prefrontal cortex was also eliminated in Galpha(q)(-/-) mice, suggests a key role for G(q) protein in hallucinogenic drug effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA. efrain.garcia@vanderbilt.edu
authors.forename: Efrain E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Randy L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sanders-Bush
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D043802:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11 / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019416:Head Movements / Q000187:drug effects; D007215:Indophenol / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D018782:Maze Learning / Q000187:drug effects; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D018345:Mice, Knockout; D016761:Oncogene Proteins v-fos / Q000378:metabolism; D011869:Radioligand Assay / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D016761:Oncogene Proteins v-fos; C113896:dimethoxy-4-indophenyl-2-aminopropane; D007215:Indophenol; D043802:GTP-Binding Protein alpha Subunits, Gq-G11