title: Antidepressant properties of the 5-HT4 receptor partial agonist, SL65.0155: behavioral and neurochemical studies in rats.
abstract: This study was undertaken to investigate the potential antidepressant-like properties of SL65.0155, a serotonin 5-HT(4) receptor partial agonist, in male rats of the Wistar strain tested in the forced swim test (FST), an experimental model widely used to assess antidepressant-like activity. The expression of hippocampal neurotrophic factors, such as the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the phosphorilated cAMP response element-binding protein (p-CREB), the B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), the Bax and the vascular endothelium growth factor (VEGF) were also evaluated by Western Blot analysis. Different groups of rats received intraperitoneally (i.p.) injections of SL65.0155 (0.1, 0.5 and 1 mg/kg), clomipramine (50 mg/kg), citalopram (15 mg/kg) or vehicle, respectively, 24, 5 and 1 h prior to the FST. Compared to the control group, SL65.0155 (0.5 and 1 mg/kg), clomipramine or citalopram injected animals showed an increased swimming and climbing behavior and reduced immobility time in the FST. Interestingly, this effect was not due to changes in the locomotor activity since all treated groups failed to show any change in motor ability as assessed in the open field test. Western blot analysis of hippocampal homogenates showed an enhancement of p-CREB, BDNF Bcl-2 and VEGF protein levels in SL65.0155 treated groups, but not in citalopram or clomipramine treated groups, used here as positive control. No change was found in Bax expression in any treated group. These findings give further support to the hypothesis that the stimulation of serotonin 5-HT(4) receptors may be a therapeutic target for depression.
authors: Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Catania, 95125 Catania, Italy.
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Tamburella
authors: Vincenzo
authors: V
authors: Micale
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Navarria
authors: Filippo
authors: F
authors: Drago
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D000928:Antidepressive Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001522:Behavior, Animal / Q000187:drug effects*; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor / Q000378:metabolism; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D015283:Citalopram / Q000494:pharmacology; D003863:Depression / Q000188:drug therapy; D004146:Dioxanes / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005106:Exploratory Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010069:Oxadiazoles / Q000494:pharmacology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D058832:Serotonin 5-HT4 Receptor Antagonists; D013550:Swimming; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C464499:5-(8-amino-7-chloro-2,3-dihydro-1,4-benzodioxin-5-yl)-3-(1-(2-phenylethyl)-4-piperidinyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2(3H)-one; D000928:Antidepressive Agents; D019208:Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor; D004146:Dioxanes; D010069:Oxadiazoles; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D058832:Serotonin 5-HT4 Receptor Antagonists; D051028:bcl-2-Associated X Protein; D015283:Citalopram; D050882:CREB-Binding Protein