Dana Ferraris

Co-administration of a D-amino acid oxidase inhibitor potentiates the efficacy of D-serine in attenuating prepulse inhibition deficits after administration of dizocilpine.

BACKGROUNDnD-Serine, an endogenous agonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors, is effective in the treatment of schizophrenia. However, orally administered D-serine is metabolized substantially by D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO), diminishing its oral bioavailability. In this study, we examined the effects of oral D-serine administration with or without a DAAO inhibitor, 5-chloro-benzo[d]isoxazol-3-ol (CBIO), on the prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits after administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine.nnnMETHODSnVehicle or D-serine (30, 300, or 900 mg/kg) with or without CBIO (30 mg/kg) was orally administered to mice 1 hour before administration of dizocilpine (.1 mg/kg), and then the PPI of the acoustic startle response was measured. We measured the extracellular levels of D-serine in the frontal cortex after oral administration of D-serine with or without CBIO.nnnRESULTSnCoadministration of CBIO with D-serine (30 mg/kg), but not D-serine (30 mg/kg) alone, significantly attenuated dizocilpine-induced PPI deficits. Furthermore, coadministration of CBIO significantly increased the extracellular levels of D-serine in the frontal cortex after administration of D-serine.nnnCONCLUSIONSnThese findings suggest that coadministration of CBIO significantly enhanced the efficacy of D-serine in attenuating PPI deficits by administration of dizocilpine. Therefore, coadministration of D-serine and a DAAO inhibitor has therapeutic potential for the treatment of schizophrenia.

Effects of D-amino acid oxidase inhibitor on the extracellular D-alanine levels and the efficacy of D-alanine on dizocilpine-induced prepulse inhibition deficits in mice

D-Alanine, one of D-amino acids present in the mammalian brain, is a selective and potent agonist at the N- methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Like D-serine, D-alanine is reported to be effective in the treatment of schizo- phrenia. However, orally given D-alanine is metabolized substantially by D-amino acid oxidase (DAAO), diminishing its oral bioavailability. In this study, we studied the effects of oral D-alanine administration with or without the novel DAAO inhibitor, 5-chloro-benzo(d)isoxazol-3-ol (CBIO), on the extracellular D-alanine levels in the brain and on the prepulse inhibition (PPI) deficits after administration of the NMDA receptor antagonist dizocilpine. Co-administration of CBIO (30 mg/kg) with D-alanine (100 mg/kg), but not D-alanine (100 mg/kg) alone, significantly attenuated dizocilpine (0.1 mg/kg)-induced PPI deficits in mice. The in vivo microdialysis study of the conscious and free moving mice revealed that co-administration of CBIO (30 mg/kg) significantly increased extracellular levels of D-alanine in the frontal cortex after oral administration of D-alanine (100 mg/kg). These findings suggest that co-administration of CBIO can increase the bioavailability of D-alanine after oral administration of D-alanine, and that co-administration of CBIO can enhance the ef- ficacy of D-alanine on dizocilpine-induced PPI deficits. Therefore, combination of D-alanine and a DAAO inhibitor such as CBIO offers new therapeutic potential for treatment of schizophrenia.