Effect of cold exposure on brain 5-hydroxytryptamine and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid in some vertebrate species

1. The changes in 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels were studied in the brain regions of Gerbillus pyramidum, Streptopelia senegalensis aegyptiaca and Agama stellio following exposure to cold. 2. In general, the 5-HT levels increased in the Gerbillus brain parts and decreased in those of Streptopelia. 3. Cold exposure in the Agama brain regions caused a transient decrease in the 5-HT levels of the cerebral hemispheres, midbrain and pons plus medulla after 6 hr and a general increase after 12, 24 and 48 hr. 4. It is concluded that cold exposure may be associated with increased activity of 5-HT ergic neurons and the rate of turnover of 5-HT to 5-HIAA.     

The effect of altered 5-hydroxytryptamine levels on beta-endorphin content in rat brain

The purpose of the present study was to examine the effect of altering the concentration of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) on beta-endorphin (beta-Ep) content in the hypothalamus, thalamus, and periaqueductal gray (PAG)-rostral pons regions of the rat brain. The selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor, fluoxetine (10 mg/kg), significantly lowered beta-Ep content in the hypothalamus and the PAG. Parachlorophenylalanine, which inhibits 5-HT synthesis, significantly elevated beta-Ep in all brain parts studied. Intracisternal injections of the neurotoxin, 5',7'-dihydroxytryptamine, with desmethylimipramine pretreatment, significantly increased beta-Ep content in the hypothalamus and the PAG. In adrenalectomized rats, fluoxetine significantly decreased beta-Ep levels in the hypothalamus and increased the levels in the PAG. The results indicate that 5-HT may modulate the levels of brain beta-Ep.     

Comparative neurotoxicity of cadmium in growing and adult rats after repeated administration.

The effect of cadmium administration (Cd 0.4 mg/kg, ip, intraperitoneally, daily for 30 days) on its accumulation, contents of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) in different brain regions in growing and adult rats was investigated. Cadmium was found to significantly increase the levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA in all the brain regions of adult rats while the levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA were significantly decreased in most of the brain regions of growing rats. The accumulation of cadmium in all the brain regions was significantly more marked in growing rats compared to adults after identical exposure. In conclusion, there was an age difference in both the accumulation of cadmium and 5-HT turnover in the brain regions. However, the regional neurochemical changes were not correlated with the magnitude of cadmium accumulation in both the groups.     

EFFECTS OF INGESTION OF A CARBOHYDRATE-FAT MEAL ON THE LEVELS AND SYNTHESIS OF 5-HYDROXYINDOLES IN VARIOUS REGIONS OF THE RAT CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

—The concentrations of tryptophan, serotonin (5-HT), and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) in spinal cord and most brain regions increase 2 h after fasted rats begin to consume a carbohydrate-fat meal: indole levels rise in all portions of the brain studied, but the increase is not statistically significant in the hypothalamus and corpus striatum. The rate at which the brain synthesizes 5-hydroxy-indoles (as estimated in vivo by measuring 5-hydroxytryptophan accumulation following an injection of the decarboxylase inhibitor RO4-4602) is also accelerated in all of the regions in which the experimental diet elevates tryptophan, 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels. These observations indicate that the previously reported increase in brain 5-hydroxyindole levels following consumption of a protein-free meal reflects accelerated serotonin synthesis, and occurs within both the cell bodies and the terminals of serotonin-containing neurons. It is possible that diet-induced changes in neuronal serotonin levels influence the quantities of the neurotransmitter released into synapses, either spontaneously or in response to drugs.     

Combined Administration of a 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)1D Antagonist and a 5-HT Reuptake Inhibitor Synergistically Increases 5-HT Release in Guinea Pig Hypothalamus In Vivo

Abstract: In vivo microdialysis in guinea pig hypothalamus was used to study the effect of serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] subtype 1D autoreceptor blockade on the increase in extracellular 5-HT levels produced by a selective 5-HT reuptake inhibitor (SSRI). Administration of the selective 5-HT_1D antagonist GR127935 at 0.3 mg/kg had no effect, but 5 mg/kg significantly increased extracellular levels of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid to 135% of basal values. Moreover, at these doses GR127935 significantly attenuated the decrease in extracellular 5-HT levels following local perfusion with the selective 5-HT_1D agonist CP-135,807. The SSRI sertraline at 2 mg/kg increased 5-HT levels to 130% of basal levels. The combination of this low dose of sertraline with either dose of GR127935 resulted in a pronounced, long-lasting increase in 5-HT levels to 230% of basal values. These results indicate that the effects of an SSRI on terminal 5-HT are significantly enhanced by coadministration of a 5-HT_1D antagonist and confirm that in addition to somatodendritic 5-HT_1A autoreceptors, terminal 5-HT_1D autoreceptors mitigate the effect of SSRIs on terminal 5-HT. As such, antagonists of the 5-HT_1D autoreceptor could be useful as rapidly acting antidepressants and may shorten the onset of antidepressant action when combined with SSRIs.     

Increased behavioural activity of rats in forced swimming test after partial denervation of serotonergic system by parachloroamphetamine treatment

The present study aimed at characterizing the effect of partial 5-HT denervation by parachloroamphetamine (PCA), a 5-HT selective neurotoxin, on forced swimming behaviour and monoamine levels in several rat brain regions. PCA was administered intraperitoneally in two independent experiments in doses of 2, 4 and 6 mg/kg and in doses 1, 2, 4 mg/kg, respectively. PCA (2 mg/kg) reduced immobility in the forced swimming test in the Experiment 1 and according to Experiment 2 this is explained by increased swimming time. Dose-dependent reductions in 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels were found in all brain regions studied, and the maximal effects were of a similar magnitude. In septum, the effect of PCA took more time to develop. The effects of the lowest dose of PCA suggest that the neurotoxin affects not only the dorsal raphe projection areas but also the fine axons which arise from the median raphe. alpha2-Adrenoceptors and beta-adrenoceptors in cerebral cortex were not affected by the PCA treatment. Binding affinity of the 5-HT(1A) receptors was higher after all doses of PCA. On the second exposure to the forced swimming the time spent in swimming was found to be negatively and the time spent in immobile posture positively correlated with serotonin turnover in frontal cortex. The time spent in struggling on the second exposure to test was found to be negatively correlated with KD of beta-adrenoceptor binding in cerebral cortex. These data suggest that partial 5-HT denervation with low doses of PCA, which elicits a specific pattern of neurodegeneration, results in an increased behavioural activity, and that the traditional interpretation of the measures in forced swimming test, despite of the test's predictive power in revealing antidepressants acting on monoaminergic systems, is not adequate for studies on the neurochemical basis of depression.     

Repeated administration of lead decreases brain 5-HT metabolism and produces memory deficits in rats

Long-term exposure to low levels of lead (Pb2+) has been shown to produce learning and memory deficits in rodents and humans. These deficits are thought to be associated with altered brain monoamine neurotransmission. Increased brain 5-HT (5-hydroxytryptamine; serotonin) activity is thought to be a prerequisite for maintaining control over the cognitive information process, and is said to have a role in learning and memory. This study was designed to investigate the effects of Pb2+ administration on brain 5-HT metabolism and memory function in rats. Rats were injected daily for three weeks with Pb2+-acetate at a dose of 100 mg/kg body weight. The assessment of memory was done using the Radial arm maze (RAM) and Passive avoidance tests. The results showed spatial working memory (SWM) deficits as well as decreased brain 5-HT metabolism. Increased serotonin activity is considered to be an indication of improved cognitive performance. The results are discussed in the context of lead-induced decreases in 5-HT metabolism playing a role in the impairment of memory.     

Effect of long-term cold adaptation on the mRNA expression of serotonin 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors

The mRNA expression of serotonin receptors 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A was investigated by the quantitative method RT-PCR in rats adapted to cold (5 weeks at +4 -(+6) degrees C) and in control (5 weeks at +20-22 degrees C). Four brain regions were examined: frontal cortex, hypothalamus, hippocampus, and midbrain. The influence of cold adaptation on the mRNA expression of 5-HT15 receptor was not found to be absent. The mRNA expression of 5-HT2A receptor changed under long-term cold exposure. These changes in different brain regions were various: in hypothalamus, there was an increase of the 5-HT2A receptor mRNA expression; in the cortex, a decrease; in the hippocampus and midbrain, significant changes of the mRNA expression were absent. The findings appear bo te adaptive and, according to their localization in the central nervous system, regulatory. They also suggest involvement of brain serotoninergic system in mechanism of adaptive reorganization of temperature regulation.     

Blood 5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid and melatonin levels in patients with either Huntington's disease or chronic brain injury

Following a study of oxidative tryptophan metabolism to kynurenines, we have now analysed the blood of patients with either Huntington's disease or traumatic brain injury for levels of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) and melatonin. There were no differences in the baseline levels of these compounds between patients and healthy controls. Tryptophan depletion did not reduce 5-HT levels in either the controls or in the patients with Huntington's disease, but it increased 5-HT levels in patients with brain injury and lowered 5-HIAA in the control and Huntington's disease groups. An oral tryptophan load did not modify 5-HT levels in the patients but increased 5-HT in control subjects. The tryptophan load restored 5-HIAA to baseline levels in controls and patients with brain injury, but not in those with Huntington's disease, in whom 5-HIAA remained significantly depressed. Melatonin levels increased on tryptophan loading in all subjects, with levels in patients with brain injury increasing significantly more than in controls. Baseline levels of neopterin and lipid peroxidation products were higher in patients than in controls. It is concluded that both groups of patients exhibit abnormalities in tryptophan metabolism, which may be related to increased inflammatory status and oxidative stress. Interactions between the kynurenine, 5-HT and melatonin pathways should be considered when interpreting changes of tryptophan metabolism.     

5-hydroxytryptamine release in the anterior hypothalamic and the hippocampal areas of cholestatic rats

Cholestasis contributes to the genesis of fatigue through several mechanisms. Among these mechanisms, affected serotonergic neurotransmission is important in the pathogenesis of central fatigue. Previously, elevated levels of 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA), the metabolite of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and increased 5-HT(2) receptor density were demonstrated in the anterior hypothalamus and in the hippocampus of bile duct resected rats (BDR), respectively. The aim of this paper is to demonstrate evoked 5-HT release in selected brain regions like anterior hypothalamus and hippocampal CA1 regions of cholestatic rats using BDR rats as an experimental model for cholestasis. In this study, we analyzed the K+ evoked 5-HT and its metabolite 5-HIAA levels by using HPLC with electrochemical detection in the microdialysis samples collected from anterior hypothalamic and hippocampal CA1 regions of sham-operated and BDR rats (n = 6). The ratios of [5-HIAA] to [5-HT] following perfusion with 100 mM K+ artificial cerebrospinal fluid was used for the comparison of the evoked release of 5-HT. Locomotor activity was used to assess the signs of cholestasis associated fatigue in the BDR rats. The vertical and horizontal activity counts within 15 min were found to be decreased in the BDR rats compared to sham-operated rats (p < 0.05). Besides, the number of fecal boli (an index of emotionality) was also significantly fewer in the cholestatic rats (p < 0.05). No significant difference between the sham-operated and the BDR rats was detected in the basal 5-HT and 5-HIAA levels of anterior hypothalamus. K+ stimulation yielded a more profound increase in the [5-HIAA]/[5-HT] in the BDR rats (p < 0.05). The basal levels of 5-HT in CA1 region of the BDR rats was found to be lower than that of sham-operated group (p < 0.05), but no significant difference was observed in terms of evoked 5-HT release in both sham-operated and BDR rats. These findings imply the presence of affected serotonergic system in cholestasis.     

Influence of chronic inorganic lead exposure on regional dopamine and 5-hydroxytryptamine turnover in rat brain

The results of previous behavioral studies utilizing chronic exposure to low amounts of inorganic lead (Pb) have suggested alterations in the function of biogenic amine neuronal systems. The following study was performed to provide evidence for the possible bases of these changes in pharmacological responsiveness in exposed animals. Dams were administered 0.2% Pb acetate in drinking water to expose their offspring to Pb via the maternal milk. Males were weaned to the same drinking solution. At 120–140 days a tracer dose of 1.0 mCil-[³H]2,6-tyrosine (³H-TYR) and 0.5 mCil-[³H(G)]tryptophan (³H-TRP) was injected through an indwelling jugular catheter, and norepinephrine (NE), dopamine (DA), 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and their respective precursors and metabolites were quantified by liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection with column eluate collected for liquid scintillation counting. At this level of exposure (blood lead (PbB) at day 90 in exposed animals=43.1±1.7 g/dl) no changes were observed in concentration Nf NE or DA mr DA metabolites in any brain region. However, DA turnover was decreased in Pb-exposed animals in nucleus accumbens and frontal cortex. No changes in 5-HT content and turnover were observed in any brain region, but 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) levels were decreased in 6 of the 9 brain regions examined. These findings are consistent with observations of an attenuated behavioral responsiveness to d-amphetamine (AMPH) in exposed animals, and suggest that the changes in DA and 5-HT neurons noted by other workers at higher levels of exposure persist when PbBs are in the range of 40 g/dl.     

STUDIES IN VIVO ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BRAIN TRYPTOPHAN, BRAIN 5-HT SYNTHESIS AND HYPERACTIVITY IN RATS TREATED WITH A MONOAMINE OXIDASE INHIBITOR AND L-TRYPTOPHAN

Abstract— The effect of l -tryptophan loading upon the amount of 5-HT accumulating in the brains of rats pretreated with a monoamine oxidase inhibitor was studied. The amount of brain 5-HT accumulated increased with increasing tryptophan dosages and brain tryptophan concentrations up to a tryptophan dose of 120 mg/kg body wt. and a brain tryptophan of about 70 μg/g brain. Above this dose and concentration no further increase in brain 5-HT accumulation occurred. After monoamine oxidase inhibition and tryptophan loading gross hyperactivity and hyperpyrexia occurred. Monoamine oxidase inhibition, tryptophan administration and intact aromatic amino acid decarboxylase activity were all collectively essential for the production of hyperactivity and hyperpyrexia. DL-Parachlorophenyl-alanine prevented both the occurrence of hyperactivity and the increased accumulation of, brain 5-HT. Indices of hyperactivity correlated with the amount of brain 5-HT accumulating in 1 h after tryptophan loading but not with the overall concentration of brain 5-HT, suggesting that hyperactivity was dependent upon the rate of 5-HT synthesis. Reserpine and tetra-benazine pretreatment speeded the onset and rate of development of the hyperactive state without altering the synthesis of brain 5-HT. It is suggested that when monoamine oxidase is inhibited and the rate of 5-HT synthesis is increased, granular uptake and storage of 5-HT and other rate-limiting mechanisms for 5-HT inactivation are unable to prevent 5-HT 'spilling over’to produce hyperactivity. The crucial dependence of 5-HT synthesis upon brain tryptophan concentration and the ability of intraneuronal metabolism, when monoamine oxidase activity is intact, to cope with increased 5-HT synthesis and prevent ‘spillover’, raise the possibility that brain 5-HT synthesis is normally in excess of functional needs, and suggest that intraneuronal metabolism and the intraneuronal organization of 5-HT pools are of more importance than synthesis in regulating the amount of 5-HT available for functional activity.     

Chronic Stress Increases Serotonin and Noradrenaline in Rat Brain and Sensitizes Their Responses to a Further Acute Stress

The effects of 1 h/day restraint in plastic tubes for 24 days on the levels of serotonin (5-HT), 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), tryptophan (TP), and noradrenaline (NA) in six regions of rat brain 20 h after the last restraint period were investigated. The levels of 5-HT, 5-HIAA, and NA but not TP increased in several regions. The effects of 1 h of immobilization on both control and chronically restrained rats were also studied. Immobilization per se did not alter brain 5-HT, 5-HIAA, and TP levels, but decreased NA in the pons plus medulla oblongata and hypothalamus. However, immobilization after chronic restraint decreased 5-HT, increased 5-HIAA, and decreased NA in most brain regions in comparison with values for the chronically restrained rats. We suggest that chronic restraint leads to compensatory increases of brain 5-HT and NA synthesis and sensitizes both monoaminergic systems to an additional acute stress. These changes may affect coping with stress demands.     

Regional Distribution of Extracellular 5-Hydroxytryptamine and 5-Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid in the Brain of Freely Moving Rats

The extracellular concentrations of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and its metabolite 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA) have been determined in six brain areas of awake rats (frontal cortex, striatum, hypothalamus, hippocampus, inferior colliculus, and raphe nuclei) using intracerebral microdialysis. The extracellular levels of 5-HT showed no significant differences among the brain regions studied. The tissue levels of 5-HT and 5-HIAA as well as the extracellular concentration of 5-HIAA were significantly higher in raphe nuclei. The regional distribution of tissue and extracellular 5-HIAA were very similar, suggesting that extracellular 5-HIAA depends mainly on the output from the intracellular compartment. On the other hand, extracellular 5-HT and tissue 5-HT showed a different distribution pattern. The tissue/extracellular ratio for 5-HT ranged from 739 in frontal cortex to 2,882 in raphe, whereas it only amounted to 1.8-3.6 for 5-HIAA. The relationship between the present results and the density of 5-HT uptake sites in these areas is discussed.     

The Use of Pharmacological-challenge fMRI in Pre-clinical Research: Application to the 5-HT System

Pharmacological MRI (phMRI) is a new and promising method to study the effects of substances on brain function that can ultimately be used to unravel underlying neurobiological mechanisms behind drug action and neurotransmitter-related disorders, such as depression and ADHD. Like most of the imaging methods (PET, SPECT, CT) it represents a progress in the investigation of brain disorders and the related function of neurotransmitter pathways in a non-invasive way with respect of the overall neuronal connectivity. Moreover it also provides the ideal tool for translation to clinical investigations. MRI, while still behind in molecular imaging strategies compared to PET and SPECT, has the great advantage to have a high spatial resolution and no need for the injection of a contrast-agent or radio-labeled molecules, thereby avoiding the repetitive exposure to ionizing radiations. Functional MRI (fMRI) is extensively used in research and clinical setting, where it is generally combined with a psycho-motor task. phMRI is an adaptation of fMRI enabling the investigation of a specific neurotransmitter system, such as serotonin (5-HT), under physiological or pathological conditions following activation via administration of a specific challenging drug.The aim of the method described here is to assess brain 5-HT function in free-breathing animals. By challenging the 5-HT system while simultaneously acquiring functional MR images over time, the response of the brain to this challenge can be visualized. Several studies in animals have already demonstrated that drug-induced increases in extracellular levels of e.g. 5-HT (releasing agents, selective re-uptake blockers, etc) evoke region-specific changes in blood oxygenation level dependent (BOLD) MRI signals (signal due to a change of the oxygenated/deoxygenated hemoglobin levels occurring during brain activation through an increase of the blood supply to supply the oxygen and glucose to the demanding neurons) providing an index of neurotransmitter function. It has also been shown that these effects can be reversed by treatments that decrease 5-HT availability^16,13,18,7. In adult rats, BOLD signal changes following acute SSRI administration have been described in several 5-HT related brain regions, i.e. cortical areas, hippocampus, hypothalamus and thalamus^9,16,15. Stimulation of the 5-HT system and its response to this challenge can be thus used as a measure of its function in both animals and humans^2,11.     

Mephedrone in Adolescent Rats: Residual Memory Impairment and Acute but Not Lasting 5-HT Depletion

Mephedrone (4-methylmethcathinone, MMC) is a popular recreational drug, yet its potential harms are yet to be fully established. The current study examined the impact of single or repeated MMC exposure on various neurochemical and behavioral measures in rats. In Experiment 1 male adolescent Wistar rats received single or repeated (once a day for 10 days) injections of MMC (30 mg/kg) or the comparator drug methamphetamine (METH, 2.5 mg/kg). Both MMC and METH caused robust hyperactivity in the 1 h following injection although this effect did not tend to sensitize with repeated treatment. Striatal dopamine (DA) levels were increased 1 h following either METH or MMC while striatal and hippocampal serotonin (5-HT) levels were decreased 1 h following MMC but not METH. MMC caused greater increases in 5-HT metabolism and greater reductions in DA metabolism in rats that had been previously exposed to MMC. Autoradiographic analysis showed no signs of neuroinflammation ([¹²⁵I]CLINDE ligand used as a marker for translocator protein (TSPO) expression) with repeated exposure to either MMC or METH. In Experiment 2, rats received repeated MMC (7.5, 15 or 30 mg/kg once a day for 10 days) and were examined for residual behavioral effects following treatment. Repeated high (30 mg/kg) dose MMC produced impaired novel object recognition 5 weeks after drug treatment. However, no residual changes in 5-HT or DA tissue levels were observed at 7 weeks post-treatment. Overall these results show that MMC causes acute but not lasting changes in DA and 5-HT tissue concentrations. MMC can also cause long-term memory impairment. Future studies of cognitive function in MMC users are clearly warranted.     

Effect of the 5-HT1A receptor agonist 8-OH-DPAT on the release of 5-HT in dorsal and median raphe-innervated rat brain regions as measured by in vivo microdialysis.

Recent electrophysiological studies, measurements of 5-HT synthesis and in vivo voltammetry recordings of 5-HT metabolism have suggested that serotoninergic neurones in the median raphe (MR) are less sensitive to 5-HT1A autoreceptor stimulation relative to those in the dorsal raphe (DR). To further study the putative differences in regulation between ascending 5-HT projections from the raphe nuclei we have used microdialysis to measure the release of 5-HT in ventral hippocampus, globus pallidus, dorsal hippocampus, frontal cortex, nucleus accumbens and medial septum, following systemic administration of the specific 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH-DPAT. The results show that the baseline output of 5-HT was similar in each of the areas studied. While 8-OH-DPAT decreased dialysate levels of 5-HT in all areas, the inhibition of 5-HT release seen in globus pallidus was significantly less marked compared to that observed in the other five regions. The results indicate that 5-HT1A autoreceptor-mediated control of 5-HT release is functional in all of the brain areas studied, including those receiving a preferential 5-HT innervation from the DR and MR. We find little evidence in support of the idea that brain 5-HT neuronal projections are heterogenous with respect to 5-HT1A autoreceptor regulation of 5-HT release; the globus pallidus, however representing a possible exception to this.     

Evidence for [D-Ala2,D-Leu5]Enkephalin-Induced Supersensitivity to 5-Hydroxytryptamine in a Neurotumor × Brain Hybrid Cell Line (NCB-20)

A neuroblastoma X Chinese hamster embryonic brain explant hybrid cell line (NCB-20) expressed 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT1) receptors, linked to adenylate cyclase, which closely resembled 5-HT1 receptors previously characterized in central nervous tissue. However, the affinity of the receptors for 5-HT was only 150 nM compared to 5 nM in membranes prepared from cerebral cortex. The elevation of cyclic AMP levels in NCB-20 cells produced by 5-HT was found additive to that produced by cholera toxin but synergistic with that produced by either prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) or forskolin, suggesting that these latter two agents elevate cyclic AMP levels by a different mechanism than 5-HT. The elevation of cyclic AMP levels by either 5-HT or PGE1 was reversed by [D-Ala2,D-Leu5]enkephalin (DADLE), morphine, clonidine, and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine (dopamine) on a short (30 min) time scale. However, continued exposure to DADLE resulted in loss of the initial inhibitory effects of DADLE after 6 h and return of cyclic AMP levels to that seen with either 5-HT or PGE1 alone. When the DADLE exposure time was increased to 48 h, 5-HT produced a further twofold increase in cyclic AMP levels, but there was no increase in the responsiveness of the cells to PGE1 unless naloxone was added 1 h prior to treatment with PGE1. Scatchard analysis showed that the increased potency of 5-HT resulted from an increase in receptor affinity for 5-HT (from a KD of 150 +/- 20 nM to one of 20 +/- 7 nM), with a reduction in the number of apparent binding sites. The 5-HT supersensitivity observed in NCB-20 cells may be a good model for neurotransmitter interactions that produce desensitization or facilitation in the intact nervous system.     

The conversion of [3H] tryptophan to 5-[3H] hydroxytryptamine in mouse brain following depletion of phenylalanine and tyrosine.

Abstract— Phenylalanine ammmonia-lyase (PAL), an enzyme which converts phenylalanine (Phe) and tyrosine (Tyr) to trans-p-cinnamic acid and trans-p-coumaric acid, respectively, was administered to mice and its effect on the conversion of [³H]tryptophan to 5-[³H]HT in the brain was measured. Although PAL significantly depleted plasma Tyr, it has little or no effect on either brain Tyr or catecholamine concentrations. Endogenous brain tryptophan levels were significantly increased 2 h after PAL administration, brain 5-HT was dramatically increased 4 h following PAL and each returned to baseline levels by 8 h. This return to baseline was accompanied by a marked decrease in the fraction of tryptophan converted to 5-HT during a 20 min pulse period preceding death, suggesting the activation of a compensatory decrease in 5-HT synthesis in response to increased 5-HT concentration. These data suggest that PAL administration readily produces reversible alterations in 5-HT synthesis and that this may be a fruitful approach to studying brain 5-HT function.