title: α2-adrenoceptor binding in Flinders-sensitive line compared with Flinders-resistant line and Sprague-Dawley rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Disturbances in the noradrenergic system, including alterations in the densities of α2-adrenoceptors, are posited to be involved in the pathophysiology of depression. In this study, we investigate the binding of α2-adrenoceptors in regions relevant to depression in an animal model of depression.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using in vitro autoradiography techniques and the selective α2-ligand, [3H]RX 821002, we investigated the density of α2-adrenoceptors in female Flinders-sensitive line (FSL) rats, a validated model of depression, and in two traditional control groups - female Flinders-resistant line (FRL) and Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The α2-adrenoceptor density was increased in most regions of the FSL rat brain when compared with SD rats (10% across regions). Moreover, the α2-adrenoceptor density was further increased in the FRL rats compared with both FSL (10% across regions) and SD rats (24% across regions).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The increase in α2-adrenoceptor binding in cortical regions in the FSL strain compared with the SD control strain is in accord with α2-adrenoceptor post-mortem binding data in suicide victims with untreated major depression. However, the differences in binding observed in the two control groups were unexpected and suggest the need for further studies in a larger cohort of animals of both sexes.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center,Aarhus University,Denmark.
authors.forename: Thea Pinholt
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Lillethorup
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center,Aarhus University,Denmark.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Iversen
authors.affiliation: 3Center for Psychiatric Research,Aarhus University,Denmark.
authors.forename: Gregers
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wegener
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center,Aarhus University,Denmark.
authors.forename: Doris Jeanne Marie
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Doudet
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET Center,Aarhus University,Denmark.
authors.forename: Anne Marlene
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Landau
mesh_terms: D059331:Adrenergic Neurons / Q000378:metabolism*; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001345:Autoradiography / Q000379:methods; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D003863:Depression / Q000378:metabolism*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D005260:Female; D019329:Idazoxan / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D011485:Protein Binding; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2 / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D018341:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-2; C058525:2-methoxyidazoxan; D019329:Idazoxan
keywords: Flinders-resistant line rats; Flinders-sensitive line rats; adrenergic alpha-2 receptor; autoradiography; depression