Nitric oxide synthase inhibitors enhance 5-HT2 receptor-mediated behavior, the head-twitch response in mice.

The purpose of this study was to characterize behavioral interactions between nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors and serotonergic 5-HT2 receptors. In the present study, NOS inhibitors, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methylester, N(G)-monomethyl-L-arginine, 7-nitroindazole, trifluoperazine and NO scavenger, methylene blue markedly enhanced 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-induced selective serotonergic behavior, the head twitch response (HTR), in mice. However NO generators, sodium nitroprusside, 3-morpholinosydnonimine and S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine as well as NO precursor, L-arginine markedly inhibited 5-HT induced HTR in mice. In the previous study, it was demonstrated that the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists markedly enhanced 5-HT-induced selective serotonergic behavior, HTR, whereas NMDA itself inhibited 5-HT-induced HTR in mice. In the present study, it was demonstrated that the inhibition by a NMDA receptor agonist, NMDA of 5-HT-induced HTR was reversed by the treatment with NOS inhibitors, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine and N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methylester. The suppressive action by a NO generator, S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine of 5-HT-induced HTR was also reversed by the treatment with NMDA receptor antagonists, MK-801 and dextromethorphan. These results have shown that the NO system is located down stream of NMDA receptors involved in modulation of 5-HT2-mediated HTR. Therefore, the enhanced effects of NOS inhibitors on 5-HT-induced HTR support experimental evidence for the NO/5-HT2 as well as NMDA/5-HT2 receptor interactions indicating that NO plays an important role in the glutamatergic modulation of the serotonergic function at the 5-HT2 receptor.