Jens Kristian Perregaard

Dopamine D-1 receptor agonists combined with the selective D-2 agonist quinpirole facilitate the expression of oral stereotyped behaviour in rats

The behaviour of rats was studied after combined treatment with the selective DA D-2 agonist quinpirole and three selective D-1 agonists (SK & F 38393, SK & F 75670 and Lu 24-040). The effects on behaviour were compared with those on receptor binding and adenylate cyclase (AC). While the D-1 agonists alone did not induce stereotyped behaviour, quinpirole induced dose-dependent hyperactivity (locomotion, sniffing, head movements and rearing), whereas licking/biting was absent or seen only occasionally. Combined treatment with quinpirole and a D-1 agonist was followed by dose-dependent licking and occasional biting behaviour. The D-1 agonists had similar efficacies, but SK & F 75670 and Lu 24-040 were more potent than SK & F 38393. The maximal effects of SK & F 38393 plus quinpirole were effectively blocked by either a D-1 antagonist (SCH 23390) or a D-2 antagonist (YM 09151-2) confirming the close relation between D-1 and D-2 receptor sites in the brain. Good correspondence was found between affinities to D-1 receptors [( 3H]SCH 23390 binding) in vitro and the EC50 values for stimulation of AC activity. However, the maximal effects on DA-sensitive AC activity were less for SK & F 75670 and Lu 24-040 than for SK & F 38393. Thus, the results indicate that efficacies in the adenylate cyclase assay are dissociated from those on behaviour. Furthermore, the data indicate that in normal rats D-1 receptors are functionally relevant since D-1 agonists facilitate the expression of oral stereotyped behaviour after combination with a D-2 agonist.

The pharmacological effect of citalopram resides in the (S)-(+)-enantiomer

The enantiomers of citalopram and N-demethylcitalopram have been investigated. Based on the inhibition of 5-HT uptake in vitro and the potentiation of 1-5-HTP in vivo the pharmacological activity resides in the (+)-enantiomers (the eutomers) with the 1-(S) absolute configuration. In the 5-HT uptake test eudismic ratios of 167 and 6.6 are obtained for the enantiomers of citalopram and N-demethylcitalopram, respectively. The pharmacological profile of the eutomers of citalopram and N-demethylcitalopram very much resembles the profile of the respective racemates.

First Demonstration of a Functional Role for Central Nervous System Betaine/γ-Aminobutyric Acid Transporter (mGAT2) Based on Synergistic Anticonvulsant Action among Inhibitors of mGAT1 and mGAT2

In a recent study, EF1502 [N-[4,4-bis(3-methyl-2-thienyl)-3-butenyl]-3-hydroxy-4-(methylamino)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo [d]isoxazol-3-ol], which is an N-substituted analog of the GAT1-selective GABA uptake inhibitor exo-THPO (4-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[d]isoxazol-3-ol), was found to inhibit GABA transport mediated by both GAT1 and GAT2 in human embryonic kidney (HEK) cells expressing the mouse GABA transporters GAT1 to 4 (mGAT1–4). In the present study, EF1502 was found to possess a broad-spectrum anticonvulsant profile in animal models of generalized and partial epilepsy. When EF1502 was tested in combination with the clinically effective GAT1-selective inhibitor tiagabine [(R)-N-[4,4-bis(3-methyl-2-thienyl)-3-butenyl]nipecotic acid] or LU-32-176B [N-[4,4-bis(4-fluorophenyl)-butyl]-3-hydroxy-4-amino-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzo[d]isoxazol-3-ol], another GAT1-selective N-substituted analog of exo-THPO, a synergistic rather than additive anticonvulsant interaction was observed in the Frings audiogenic seizure-susceptible mouse and the pentylenetetrazol seizure threshold test. In contrast, combination of the two mGAT1-selective inhibitors, tiagabine and LU-32-176B, resulted in only an additive anticonvulsant effect. Importantly, the combination of EF1502 and tiagabine did not result in a greater than additive effect in the rotarod behavioral impairment test. In subsequent in vitro studies conducted in HEK-293 cells expressing the cloned mouse GAT transporters mGAT1 and mGAT2, EF1502 was found to noncompetitively inhibit both mGAT1 and the betaine/GABA transporter mGAT2 (Ki of 4 and 5 μM, respectively). Furthermore, in a GABA release study conducted in neocortical neurons, EF1502 did not act as a substrate for the GABA carrier. Collectively, these findings support a functional role for mGAT2 in the control of neuronal excitability and suggest a possible utility for mGAT2-selective inhibitors in the treatment of epilepsy.

Sertindole, a new neuroleptic with extreme selectivity on A10 versus A9 dopamine neurones in the rat

In the present study we used populations of DA neurones in the A9 and A10 areas of rat brains to characterize the effects of a new neuroleptic sertindole

Synergistic interaction between dopamine D-1 and D-2 receptor agonists: circling behaviour of rats with hemitransection

Circling behaviour induced by dopamine (DA) agonists with different D-1/D-2 receptor selectivity was studied in rats with hemitransection at a level caudal to the striatum. The mixed D-1/D-2 agonist apomorphine induced ipsilateral circling behaviour after administration of doses similar to those that induced stereotyped behaviour in unlesioned rats. The effect of apomorphine was not influenced by co-treatment with SK & F 38393 or quinpirole, indicating that apomorphine induces a comparable D-1 and D-2 receptor stimulation in vivo also. Three selective D-1 agonists, SK & F 38393, SK & F 75670 and Lu 24-040 had no effects alone, while the preferential D-2 agonists quinpirole, pergolide and (-)-N-propylnorapomorphine induced ipsilateral circling of weaker intensity than did apomorphine. After co-treatment with SK & F 38393 the effects of these compounds were markedly increased. Combination of SK & F 38393, SK & F 75670 or Lu 24-040 with quinpirole induced circling with intensities similar to those seen after apomorphine. Pretreatment with the D-1 antagonist SCH 23390 or the D-2 antagonist YM 09151-2 completely antagonized the ipsilateral circling induced by either apomorphine or quinpirole + SK & F 38393. A range of partial (autoreceptor) D-2 agonists, i.e. (-)-3-PPP, (+)-3-phenethyl-PP, terguride, EMD 23448 and B-HT 920 were all ineffective as was the alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist clonidine. However, B-HT 920 induced strong ipsilateral circling after combination with SK & F 38393, whereas (-)-3-PPP was ineffective.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Synthesis and structure–affinity relationship investigations of 5-aminomethyl and 5-carbamoyl analogues of the antipsychotic sertindole. A new class of selective α1 adrenoceptor antagonists

Abstract A new class of selective α1 adrenoceptor antagonists derived from the antipsychotic drug sertindole is described. The most potent and selective compound 1-(2-{4-[5-aminomethyl-1-(4-fluorophenyl)-1H-indol-3-yl]-1-piperidinyl}ethyl)-2-imidazolidinone (11) binds with 0.50 nM affinity for α1 adrenergic receptors and with more than 44 times lower affinity for dopamine D2,D3, D4 and serotonin 5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors. The molecular features providing high affinity for adrenergic α1 receptors and high selectivity towards dopamine D2 and serotonin 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptors are discussed.