Preclinical characterization of WAY-211612: a dual 5-HT uptake inhibitor and 5-HT (1A) receptor antagonist and potential novel antidepressant.
OBJECTIVE
As a combination of 5-HT selective reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) with 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonism may yield a rapidly acting antidepressant, WAY-211612, a compound with both SSRI and 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist activities, was evaluated in preclinical models.


METHODS
Occupancy studies confirmed the mechanism of action of WAY-211612, while its in vivo profile was characterized in microdialysis and behavioural models.


RESULTS
WAY-211612 inhibited 5-HT reuptake (K(i) = 1.5 nmol.L(-1); K(B) = 17.7 nmol.L(-1)) and exhibited full 5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist activity (K(i) = 1.2 nmol.L(-1); K(B) = 6.3 nmol.L(-1); I(max) 100% in adenyl cyclase assays; K(B) = 19.8 nmol.L(-1); I(max) 100% in GTPgammaS). WAY-211612 (3 and 30 mg.kg(-1), po) occupied 5-HT reuptake sites in rat prefrontal cortex (56.6% and 73.6% respectively) and hippocampus (52.2% and 78.5%), and 5-HT(1A) receptors in the prefrontal cortex (6.7% and 44.7%), hippocampus (8.3% and 48.6%) and dorsal raphe (15% and 83%). Acute or chronic treatment with WAY-211612 (3-30 mg.kg(-1), po) raised levels of cortical 5-HT approximately twofold, as also observed with a combination of an SSRI (fluoxetine; 30 mg.kg(-1), s.c.) and a 5-HT(1A) antagonist (WAY-100635; 0.3 mg.kg(-1), s.c). WAY-211612 (3.3-30 mg.kg(-1), s.c.) decreased aggressive behaviour in the resident-intruder model, while increasing the number of punished crossings (3-30 mg.kg(-1), i.p. and 10-56 mg.kg(-1), po) in the mouse four-plate model and decreased adjunctive drinking behaviour (56 mg.kg(-1), i.p.) in the rat scheduled-induced polydipsia model.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that WAY-211612 may represent a novel antidepressant.
Beyer
C E
CE
Discovery Neuroscience, Wyeth Research, Princeton, NJ 08543-8000, USA. beyerc1@wyeth.com
Lin
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Platt
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B
Malberg
J
J
Hornby
G
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Sullivan
K M
KM
Smith
D L
DL
Lock
T
T
Mitchell
P J
PJ
Hatzenbuhler
N T
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Evrard
D A
DA
Harrison
B L
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Magolda
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Pangalos
M N
MN
Schechter
L E
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Rosenzweig-Lipson
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Andree
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