The 5-HT2B receptor: a main cardio-pulmonary target of serotonin

In agreement with previous data in the literature, our results indicate that serotonin, a monoamine neurotransmitter, can also regulate cell proliferation, cell movements and cell differentiation. We have recently shown that serotonin is required for embryonic heart development. Genetic ablation of the 5-HT2B receptor leads to partial embryonic and postnatal lethality with abnormal heart development. Similar molecular mechanisms seem to be involved in adult cardiomyocytes since mutant mice surviving to adulthood display a dilated cardiomyopathy. Furthermore this receptor appears to be involved in survival of cardiomyocytes. The 5-HT2B receptor is also implicated in systemic hypertension. Furthermore, mice with pharmacological or genetic ablation of 5-HT2B receptor are totally resistant to hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension, indicating that this receptor is regulating the pathologic vascular proliferation leading to this disease. Underlying mechanisms are still to be discovered.