title: The metabolism of serotonin in neuronal cells in culture and platelets.
abstract: The aim of this study is to find a relationship between serotonin (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxy indol acetic acid (5-HIAA) in hippocampus, frontal neocortex and platelets. Serotonin and 5-HIAA were measured in cultured neurons and compared with those produced by human platelets. The cortical neuronal 5-HIAA/serotonin ratio was 4.7 and for hippocampal neurons it was 3.2. In human platelets, this ratio was 1.35 suggesting that the highest serotonin metabolism occurs in the frontal neocortex followed by the hippocampus and platelets. In the presence of 0.3 microM of p-chlorophenylalanine both cultured neurons and platelets exhibited an approximately 50% decrease in serotonin and 5-HIAA concentration suggesting similarities in the metabolic profile in both preparations. In addition, we found that serotonin by itself does not play any role in platelet aggregation but potentiates this phenomenon in the presence of calcium ionophore A23187. This synergistic interaction between serotonin (2-5 microM) and A23187 (0.5-2 microM) was inhibited by serotonin receptor blockers [methysergide (IC50 = 18 microM) and cyproheptadine (IC50, 20 microM)] and calcium channel blockers (verapamil and diltiazem, IC50 = 20 and 40 microM, respectively) that indicate both mechanisms are receptor mediated. Similarly, U73122, an inhibitor of phospholipase C (PLC), blocked the synergistic effect of serotonin and ionophore at an IC50 value of 9.2 microM. Wortmannin, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI 3-K) inhibitor, also blocked the response (IC50 = 2.6 microM) by inhibiting respiratory burst. However, neither genistein, a tyrosine-specific protein kinase inhibitor, nor chelerythrine, a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, affected aggregation. Our results are strongly suggestive of a synergistic interaction between serotonin type-2 and Ca-ionophore via a PLC/Ca signalling pathway.
authors.affiliation: International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, 75270, Pakistan. fatimak@iccs.edu
authors.forename: Kaneez Fatima
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Shad
authors.forename: Sheik Arshad
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Saeed
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000166:cytology / Q000378:metabolism*; D001921:Brain / Q000166:cytology*; D000001:Calcimycin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000494:pharmacology; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D003533:Cyproheptadine / Q000494:pharmacology; D004357:Drug Synergism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D006801:Humans; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D007476:Ionophores / Q000494:pharmacology; D008784:Methysergide / Q000494:pharmacology; D009474:Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D012701:Serotonin / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D007476:Ionophores; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D003533:Cyproheptadine; D012701:Serotonin; D000001:Calcimycin; D006897:Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid; D008784:Methysergide