title: The involvement of the serotonergic transmission system in neonatal and adult rat ileum contractility varies with age.
abstract: The relevance of age on serotonergic involvement in the control of alimentary contractility has not been pharmacologically described. Experiments were performed to investigate the effects of acetylcholine, atropine, 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and its related drugs on intestinal segments taken from the neonatal and adult ileum. 5-HT induced concentration-dependent contractions of ileum irrespective of age; however, these contractions were diminished by pretreatment with atropine only in neonatal tissues. In tissues taken from both the neonatal and adult ileum, methysergide (5-HT(1/2/5-7) receptor antagonist), ritanserin (5-HT(2) receptor antagonist), and RS23597-190/SB204070 (5-HT(4) receptor antagonists) all differentially reduced 5-HT-induced contractions at a concentration <100 μmol/l. At higher concentrations, the contractions were comparable to those in control tissues. Granisetron and ondansetron (5-HT(3) receptor antagonists) significantly reduced contractions induced by 5-HT at concentrations >30 μmol/l in both neonatal and adult ileum. Combined treatments with ritanserin, granisetron, plus RS23597-190 reduced or abolished contraction responses induced in neonatal ileum by 5-HT. SB269970A (5-HT(7) receptor antagonist) and WAY100635 (5-HT(1A) receptor antagonist) failed to influence contractile responses induced by 5-HT or 5-HT receptor agonists. Pretreatments with WAY100635 and SB267790A also had no influence on the contractile responses induced by 5-HT(1A/7) receptor agonist, 5-CT, and 5-HT(1A) receptor agonist, 8-OH-DPAT, which itself failed to induce a measurable response. It is concluded that the 5-HT-induced contractions in segments taken from both the neonatal and adult rat ileum were mediated via 5-HT(2) receptors, 5-HT(3) receptors and 5-HT(4) receptors. However, the effect of atropine on the neonatal rat intestine indicates that the mechanism of serotonergic involvement in ileal contractility is influenced by age.
authors: Institute of Pharmaceutical Innovation, Bradford, UK. sbatistalobo@hotmail.com
authors: S Batista
authors: SB
authors: Lobo
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Denyer
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Britland
authors: F A
authors: FA
authors: Javid
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007082:Ileum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin / Q000502:physiology*; D012701:Serotonin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D018727:Muscarinic Antagonists; D011985:Receptors, Serotonin; D012702:Serotonin Antagonists; D017366:Serotonin Receptor Agonists; D012701:Serotonin; D001285:Atropine