title: Differential effects of intravenous R,S-(+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA, Ecstasy) and its S(+)- and R(-)-enantiomers on dopamine transmission and extracellular signal regulated kinase phosphorylation (pERK) in the rat nucleus accumbens shell and core.
abstract: R,S(+/-)-3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (R,S(+/-)-MDMA, 'Ecstasy') is known to stimulate dopamine (DA) transmission in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). In order to investigate the post-synaptic correlates of pre-synaptic changes in DA transmission and their relationship with MDMA enantiomers, we studied the effects of R,S(+/-)-MDMA, S(+)-MDMA, and R(-)-MDMA on extracellular DA and phosphorylated extracellular signal regulated kinase (pERK) in the NAc shell and core. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, implanted with a catheter in the femoral vein and vertical concentric dialysis probes in the NAc shell and core, were administered i.v. saline, R,S(+/-)-MDMA, S(+)-MDMA, or R(-)-MDMA. Extracellular DA was monitored by in vivo microdialysis with HPLC. Intravenous R,S(+/-)-MDMA (0.64, 1, and 2 mg/kg) increased dialysate DA, preferentially in the shell, in a dose-related manner. S(+)-MDMA exerted similar effects but at lower doses than R,S(+/-)-MDMA, while R(-)-MDMA (1 and 2 mg/kg) failed to affect dialysate DA. R,S(+/-)- and S(+)-MDMA but not R(-)-MDMA increased ERK phosphorylation (expressed as density/neuron and number of pERK-positive neurons/area) in both subdivisions of the NAc. The administration of the D1 receptor antagonist, SCH 39166, prevented the increase in pERK elicited by R,S(+/-)-MDMA and S(+)-MDMA, while the D2/3 receptor antagonist, raclopride, increased pERK in the NAc core per se but failed to affect the R,S(+/-)-MDMA-elicited stimulation of pERK. The present results provide evidence that the DA stimulant effects of racemic MDMA are accounted for by the S(+)-enantiomer and that pERK may represent a post-synaptic correlate of the stimulant effect of R,S(+/-)-MDMA on D1-dependent DA transmission.
authors.affiliation: Department of Toxicology, University of Cagliari, Cagliari, Italy.
authors.forename: Elio
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Acquas
authors.forename: Augusta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pisanu
authors.forename: Saturnino
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spiga
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plumitallo
authors.forename: Gerald
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Zernig
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Di Chiara
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000502:physiology*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006213:Hallucinogens / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D008297:Male; D017551:Microdialysis; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine / Q000737:chemistry / Q000633:toxicity*; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D009714:Nucleus Accumbens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D006213:Hallucinogens; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D018817:N-Methyl-3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; D004298:Dopamine