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We have studied the effects of single and repeated electroconvulsive shock (ECS) treatment on the mRNA levels of several glutamate receptors in the dentate gyrus and CA1 regions of the rat brain. In the dentate gyrus, such treatment elevated the mRNAs for the NMDA subunits NR2A and NR2B, but it reduced the mRNA for the metabotropic glutamate receptor mGlu5b. With the exception of NR2A, this effect was specific to the dentate gyrus. The changes in NR2B mRNA lasted the longest, but all changes had returned to control values after 48 h. The possible significance of such changes to the antidepressant effect of ECT is discussed.

The effect of a novel 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist, BRL 46470, has been studied on two electrophysiological models for 5-HT 3 receptors: grease-gap recordings from rat isolated vagus nerve and whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from mouse neuroblastoma-rat glioma NG108-15 cells. Its action on the rat vagus nerve was compared to that of four other 5-HT 3 receptor antagonists. On the rat vagus, BRL 46470 reduced the maximum depolarizing response to 5-HT in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC 50 of 0.3–1.0 nM, but the EC 50 for 5-HT was not appreciably affected. This action was similar to that of granisetron and ICS 205–930, but differed from that of GR38032F and (+)-tubocurarine which produced clear rightward shifts of the concentration-response curve to 5-HT. The 5-HT-induced fast inward current of voltage-clamped NG108-15 cells was also antagonized by 1 nM BRL 46470 in an insurmountable manner. In contrast to (+)-tubocurarine, the action of BRL 46470 on the rat vagus nerve and NG108-15 cells did not readily reverse on washing with antagonist-free medium. It is concluded that BRL 46470 is a potent, insurmountable 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist on the rat vagus and NG108-15 cells.

The action of a novel 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist, AS-5370, has been studied on two electrophysiological models for 5-HT 3 receptors: whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from mouse neuroblastoma-rat glioma (NG108-15) cells and grease-gap recordings from rat isolated vagus nerve. The 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-induced fast inward current of voltage-clamped NG108-15 cells was antagonized by 1 nM AS-5370 in an insurmountable manner. On the rat vagus, AS-5370 reduced the maximum depolarizing response to 5-HT in a concentration-dependent manner. The IC 50 for AS-5370 on the rat vagus was 0.3–1.0 nM. The EC 50 for 5-HT on the rat vagus was not appreciably affected by AS-5370. On the rat vagus, the (R) enantiomer of AS-5370 was about 30 times more potent than the (S) enantiomer. The antagonist action of AS-5370 on these two cell types was compared with that of (+)-tubocurarine. Unlike tubocurarine, the effect of AS-5370 on NG108-15 cells was not readily reversed during wash. On the rat vagus, tubocurarine antagonized in a competitive manner with an IC 50 of 0.3–1.0 μM (pK b = 7.2). It is concluded that AS-5370 is a potent 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist on both NG108-15 cells and the rat vagus, but it does not act in a competitive manner.

1. We have studied the pharmacology of the depolarization by 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) of the guinea-pig isolated superior cervical ganglion (SCG) using the grease-gap technique. We studied the effects of selective and non-selective antagonists on the responses to 5-HT and other 5-HT receptor agonists. 2. We have extended the pharmacology of the 5-HT3 receptor in this preparation by studying the effects of granisetron, BRL 46470 and mianserin on the concentration-response curve (CRC) to 2-methyl-5-HT. As with other 5-HT3 receptor antagonists, these compounds exhibited a lower affinity for guinea-pig 5-HT3 receptors than for rat 5-HT3 receptors. 3. We have confirmed that low concentrations of 5-HT (< or = 1 microM) mediate ketanserin-sensitive responses and higher concentrations of 5-HT also recruit 5-HT3 receptors. The responses to low concentrations of 5-HT were antagonized by low concentrations of ketanserin, spiperone, mianserin, DOI and LSD indicating probably mediation by 5-HT2A receptors. At high concentrations, the hallucinogen, DOI, but not LSD, evoked a ketanserin-sensitive depolarization. 4. Although mianserin could bind to the 5-HT2A receptors in this preparation, we could not demonstrate a down-regulation of depolarizations evoked by these receptors after a 10 day oral treatment with mianserin (10 mg kg-1, daily). 5. 5-Carboxamidotryptamine (5-CT) evoked a prolonged depolarization. Although high concentrations of 5-CT (> or = microM) appeared to activate 5-HT2A receptors, lower concentrations of 5-CT evoked a response with a distinct pharmacology. After studying the action of 20 selective and non-selective 5-HT receptor ligands we believe that this response may be mediated by a novel receptor; but its pharmacology is closest to that of receptors in the 5-HT2 receptor family. Like 5-CT, 5-HT (3-300 microM) could evoke an LSD-sensitive response in the presence of the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, ketanserin and the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist, tropisetron (all 1 microM). 6. We conclude that 5-HT activates three pharmacologically distinct receptors to depolarize the guinea-pig SCG. Low concentrations of 5-HT appear to activate 5-HT2A receptors. Higher concentrations of 5-HT also activate 5-HT3 receptors and a possible novel 5-HT receptor. The novel receptor could be a species homologue of a 5-HT2 receptor or an, as yet, unclassified 5-HT receptor.