Negative allosteric modulation of the mGlu7 receptor reduces visceral hypersensitivity in a stress-sensitive rat strain

Glutamate, the main excitatory neurotransmitter in the central nervous system, exerts its effect through ionotropic and metabotropic receptors. Of these, group III mGlu receptors (mGlu 4, 6, 7, 8) are among the least studied due to a lack of pharmacological tools. mGlu7 receptors, the most highly conserved isoform, are abundantly distributed in the brain, especially in regions, such as the amygdala, known to be crucial for the emotional processing of painful stimuli. Visceral hypersensitivity is a poorly understood phenomenon manifesting as an increased sensitivity to visceral stimuli. Glutamate has long been associated with somatic pain processing leading us to postulate that crossover may exist between these two modalities. Moreover, stress has been shown to exacerbate visceral pain. ADX71743 is a novel, centrally penetrant, negative allosteric modulator of mGlu7 receptors. Thus, we used this tool to explore the possible involvement of this receptor in the mediation of visceral pain in a stress-sensitive model of visceral hypersensitivity, namely the Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rat. ADX71743 reduced visceral hypersensitivity in the WKY rat as exhibited by increased visceral sensitivity threshold with concomitant reductions in total number of pain behaviours. Moreover, AD71743 increased total distance and distance travelled in the inner zone of the open field. These findings show, for what is to our knowledge, the first time, that mGlu7 receptor signalling plays a role in visceral pain processing. Thus, negative modulation of the mGlu7 receptor may be a plausible target for the amelioration of stress-induced visceral pain where there is a large unmet medical need.

Evaluation of peripheral versus central effects of GABA(B) receptor activation using a novel, positive allosteric modulator of the GABA(B) receptor ADX71943, a pharmacological tool compound with a fully peripheral activity profile

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The GABA(B) receptor agonist, baclofen, has shown promising effects in patients suffering from pain, post-traumatic stress disorder, alcoholism, overactive bladder and gastroesophageal reflux disease. However, baclofen's short duration of action and side effects limit its wider use. Here we characterized a novel, GABA(B) receptor positive allosteric modulator (PAM) ADX71943.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

In vitro, ADX71943 was assessed for pharmacological activity and selectivity using recombinant and native GABA(B) receptors. In vivo ADX71943 was assessed in the acetic acid-induced writhing (AAW) test in mice and formalin tests (FTs) in mice and rats. Marble burying (MB) and elevated plus maze (EPM) tests, rotarod, spontaneous locomotor activity (sLMA) and body temperature (BT) tests in mice and rats were used to investigate centrally-mediated effects.

KEY RESULTS

In vitro, in the presence of GABA, ADX71943 increased the potency and efficacy of agonists and showed selectivity at the GABA(B) receptor. ADX71943 reduced pain-associated behaviours in AAW; an effect blocked by GABA(B) receptor antagonist CGP63360. ADX71943 reduced pain in the FT in mice and rats, but was inactive in the MB and EPM despite reaching high concentrations in plasma. ADX71943 had no effect on BT, rotarod and sLMA.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

ADX71943 showed consistent and target-related efficacy in tests of disorders that have a significant peripheral component (acute and chronic pain), while having no effect in those associated with centrally-mediated anxiety-like reactivity and side effects. Thus, ADX71943 is a useful pharmacological tool for delineation of peripherally- versus centrally-mediated effects of GABA(B) receptor activation.

Characterization of the novel positive allosteric modulator of the metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 ADX88178 in rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders

There is growing evidence that activation of metabotropic glutamate receptor 4 (mGlu4) leads to anxiolytic- and antipsychotic-like efficacy in rodent models, yet its relevance to depression-like reactivity remains unclear. Here, we present the pharmacological evaluation of ADX88178 [5-methyl-N-(4-methylpyrimidin-2-yl)-4-(1H-pyrazol-4-yl)thiazol-2-amine], a novel potent, selective, and brain-penetrant positive allosteric modulator of the mGlu4 receptor in rodent models of anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), fear, depression, and psychosis. ADX88178 dose-dependently reduced the number of buried marbles in the marble burying test and increased open-arm exploration in the elevated plus maze (EPM) test, indicative of anxiolytic-like efficacy. Target specificity of the effect in the EPM test was confirmed using male and female mGlu4 receptor knockout mice. In mice, ADX88178 reduced the likelihood of conditioned freezing in the acquisition phase of the fear conditioning test, yet had no carryover effect in the expression phase. Also, ADX88178 dose-dependently reduced duration of immobility in the forced swim test, indicative of antidepressant-like efficacy. ADX88178 reduced DOI (2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine)-mediated head twitches (albeit with no dose-dependency), and MK-801 [(5S,10R)-(+)-5-methyl-10,11-dihydro-5H-dibenzo[a,d]cyclohepten-5,10-imine]-induced locomotor hyperactivity in mice, but was inactive in the conditioned avoidance response test in rats. The compound showed good specificity as it had no effect on locomotor activity in mice and rats at efficacious doses. Thus, allosteric activation of mGlu4 receptors can be a promising new therapeutic approach for treatment of anxiety, OCD, fear-related disorders, and psychosis.

ADX71441, a novel, potent and selective positive allosteric modulator of the GABA(B) receptor, shows efficacy in rodent models of overactive bladder

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

The GABAB receptor agonist baclofen reduces urethral resistance and detrusor overactivity in patients with spasticity. However, baclofen's side effects limit its use for the treatment of overactive bladder (OAB). Here, we tested a novel GABAB positive allosteric modulator (PAM) ADX71441 in models of OAB in mice and guinea pigs.

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

Mice were left untreated or given (p.o.) vehicle (1% CMC), ADX71441 (1, 3, 10 mg kg(-1) ) or oxybutynin (100 mg kg(-1) ; Experiment 1) or vehicle (1% CMC), baclofen (1, 3, 6 mg kg(-1) ) or oxybutynin (Experiment 2). Treated mice were then overhydrated with water, challenged with furosemide, before being placed into micturition chambers and monitored for urinary parameters. In anaesthetized guinea pigs, intravesical infusion of acetic acid was used to induce OAB and the effects of ADX71441 (1, 3 mg kg(-1) ) or baclofen (1 mg kg(-1) ), administered i.v., on cystometric parameters were monitored.

KEY RESULTS

In mice, 10 mg kg(-1) ADX71441 increased urinary latencies, reduced the number of urinary events and the total and average urinary volumes. In guinea pigs, ADX71441 (1 and 3 mg kg(-1) ) increased the intercontraction interval (ICI) and bladder capacity (BC), and reduced micturition frequency (MF) compared to vehicle. At 3 mg kg(-1) ADX71441 completely inhibited the micturition reflex and induced overflow incontinence in five out of 10 animals. Baclofen slightly increased ICI and BC and reduced MF.

CONCLUSION AND IMPLICATIONS

Our findings demonstrate, for the first time, that a GABAB PAM has potential as a novel approach for the treatment of OAB.

Reduction of excessive alcohol drinking by a novel GABAB receptor positive allosteric modulator ADX71441 in mice

RATIONALE

A promising pharmacotherapy for alcohol use disorders has been positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) of the γ-aminobutyric acid receptor B (GABAB R) since GABAB R PAMs reduce ethanol drinking and self-administration in rodents.

OBJECTIVE

The current studies investigated a novel, selective GABAB R PAM, ADX71441, in comparison to naltrexone in a protocol of ethanol binge-like drinking, drinking-in-the-dark (DID), and in a model of long-term, excessive drinking, intermittent access to ethanol (IA).

METHODS

Male C57BL/6 J mice were given doses of ADX71441 (3, 10, 30 mg/kg, p.o.) before the fourth test day of repeated DID access to 20 % ethanol. Another group of mice had a history of 4 weeks of IA before ADX71441 (3, 10, 17 mg/kg, p.o.) treatment. The opioid antagonist, naltrexone (0.1, 1, 10 mg/kg, i.p.), was administered to different groups of mice in both protocols as a positive control.

RESULTS

In both DID and IA protocols, ADX71441 showed a selective and potent reduction of ethanol drinking, but not water drinking, while naltrexone had a more modest and transient effect on reducing ethanol drinking. The long-lasting effect of ADX71441 agrees with its plasma pharmacokinetics in showing peak concentrations at 2 h followed by a slow decay lasting well beyond 8 h.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings support previous studies demonstrating that GABAB R PAMs decrease voluntary ethanol intake without altering water intake. ADX71441 may be a worthwhile candidate for developing a treatment of alcoholism, yet its site of action in the brain and long-term pharmacological effects require further exploration.

ADX71743, a potent and selective negative allosteric modulator of metabotropic glutamate receptor 7: in vitro and in vivo characterization

Metabotropic glutamate receptor 7 (mGlu(7)) has been suggested to be a promising novel target for treatment of a range of disorders, including anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, drug abuse, and schizophrenia. Here we characterized a potent and selective mGlu(7) negative allosteric modulator (NAM) (+)-6-(2,4-dimethylphenyl)-2-ethyl-6,7-dihydrobenzo[d]oxazol-4(5H)-one (ADX71743). In vitro, Schild plot analysis and reversibility tests at the target confirmed the NAM properties of the compound and attenuation of L-(+)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid-induced synaptic depression confirmed activity at the native receptor. The pharmacokinetic analysis of ADX71743 in mice and rats revealed that it is bioavailable after s.c. administration and is brain penetrant (cerebrospinal fluid concentration/total plasma concentration ratio at C(max) = 5.3%). In vivo, ADX71743 (50, 100, 150 mg/kg, s.c.) caused no impairment of locomotor activity in rats and mice or activity on rotarod in mice. ADX71743 had an anxiolytic-like profile in the marble burying and elevated plus maze tests, dose-dependently reducing the number of buried marbles and increasing open arm exploration, respectively. Whereas ADX71743 caused a small reduction in amphetamine-induced hyperactivity in mice, it was inactive in the mouse 2,5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine-induced head twitch and the rat conditioned avoidance response tests. In addition, the compound was inactive in the mouse forced swim test. These data suggest that ADX71743 is a suitable compound to help unravel the physiologic role of mGlu(7) and to better understand its implication in central nervous system diseases. Our in vivo tests using ADX71743, reported here, suggest that pharmacological inhibition of mGlu(7) is a valid approach for developing novel pharmacotherapies to treat anxiety disorders, but may not be suitable for treatment of depression or psychosis.

Characterization of an mGluR2/3 negative allosteric modulator in rodent models of depression

There is growing evidence suggesting that antagonists of group II metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluR2/3) exhibit antidepressant-like properties in several preclinical models of depression. However, all those studies have been performed using competitive group II non-selective orthosteric antagonists. In this study we extensively characterized a group II selective negative allosteric modulator (4-[3-(2,6-Dimethylpyridin-4-yl)phenyl]-7-methyl-8-trifluoromethyl-1,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]diazepin-2-one, namely RO4491533, Woltering et al., 2010) in several in vitro biochemical assays and in vivo models of depression. In vitro, RO4491533 completely blocked the glutamate-induced Ca(2+) mobilization and the glutamate-induced accumulation in [(35)S]GTP(γS) binding in cells expressing recombinant human or rat mGluR2 and in native tissues. Results from Schild plot experiments and reversibility test at the target on both cellular and membrane-based assays confirmed the negative allosteric modulator properties of the compound. RO4491533 was equipotent on mGluR2 and mGluR3 receptors but not active on any other mGluRs. RO4491533 has acceptable PK properties in mice and rats, is bioavailable following oral gavage (F = 30%) and brain-penetrant (CSF conc/total plasma conc ratio = 0.8%). RO4491533 appeared to engage the central mGluR2 and mGluR3 receptors since the compound reversed the hypolocomotor effect of an mGluR2/3 orthosteric agonist LY379268 in a target-specific manner, as did the group II orthosteric mGluR2/3 antagonist LY341495. RO4491533 and LY341495 dose-dependently reduced immobility time of C57Bl6/J mice in the forced swim test. Also, RO4491533 and LY341495 were active in the tail suspension test in a line of Helpless (H) mice, a putative genetic model of depression. These data suggest that mGluR2/3 receptors are viable targets for development of novel pharmacotherapies for depression.

Models of aspects of schizophrenia: behavioral sensitization induced by subchronic phencyclidine administration

Presented in this unit is a protocol using subchronically administered phencyclidine (PCP) for establishing a behavioral sensitization model of aspects of schizophrenia. This model is validated using haloperidol and risperidone. The end-point of the assay is locomotor hyperactivity, which is induced by PCP challenge following subchronic treatment with this NMDA receptor antagonist. The antipsychotics haloperidol, risperidone, and quetiapine all reduce hyperactivity in a dose-dependent and selective manner. While the effects of other antipsychotics such as clozapine, olanzapine, and ziprasidone are similar to haloperidol, the interpretation of responses to them is often confounded by nonspecific effects during habituation.

Validation and pharmacological characterisation of MK-801-induced locomotor hyperactivity in BALB/C mice as an assay for detection of novel antipsychotics

RATIONALE

We evaluated locomotor hyperactivity induced in BALB/C mice by an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist MK-801 as an assay for the detection of antipsychotic drugs.

OBJECTIVES

We assessed the effects of antipsychotic drugs to validate the assay (study 1), selective dopamine and serotonin ligands for pharmacological characterisation of the model (study 2) and a number of compounds with efficacy in models of schizophrenia to understand the predictive validity of the model (study 3).

METHODS

Adult males (n  = 9/group) were pretreated with a test compound, habituated to locomotor activity cages before receiving MK-801 (0.32 mg/kg) and activity recorded for a further 75 or 120 min. In study 1, we tested haloperidol, clozapine, olanzapine, risperidone, ziprasidone, aripiprazole, sertindole and quetiapine. In study 2, we tested SCH23390 (D(1) antagonist), sulpiride (D(2)/D(3) antagonist), raclopride (D(2)/D(3) antagonist), SB-277011 (D(3) antagonist), L-745,870 (D(4) antagonist), WAY100635 (5-HT(1A) antagonist), 8-OH-DPAT (5-HT(1A) agonist), ketanserin (5-HT(2A)/5-HT(2C) antagonist) and SB-242084 (5-HT(2C) antagonist). In study 3, we tested xanomeline (M(1)/M(4) receptor agonist), LY379268 (mGluR2/3 receptor agonist), diazepam (GABA(A) modulator) and thioperamide (H(3) receptor antagonist).

RESULTS

All antipsychotics suppressed MK-801-induced hyperactivity in a dose-dependent and specific manner. The effects of antipsychotics appear to be mediated via dopamine D(1), D(2) and 5-HT(2) receptors. Xanomeline, LY379268 and diazepam were active in this assay while thioperamide was not.

CONCLUSIONS

MK-801-induced hyperactivity in BALB/C mice model of positive symptoms has shown predictive validity with novel compounds acing at M(1)/M(4), mGluR2/3 and GABA(A) receptors and can be used as a screening assay for detection of novel pharmacotherapies targeting those receptors.

Glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) inhibitors exhibit anticonvulsant properties in the rat maximal electroshock threshold (MEST) test

Glycine can act as either an inhibitory neurotransmitter or as a potentiator of NMDA-dependent excitatory neurotransmission. There is some evidence that glycine can have both pro- and anticonvulsant properties in various rodent models of epilepsy. In the present study we tested several glycine transporter 1 (GlyT1) inhibitors including NFPS, SSR 504734, Lu AA21279, Org 25935, SB-710622, GSK931145, as well as the glycine agonist d-serine, in the maximal electroshock threshold (MEST) test in the rat. In a series of experiments, male Sprague-Dawley rats (n=12/group) were pre-treated with a compound of interest and then received an electric shock delivered via corneal electrodes. A cohort of satellite animals (n=3/group) was also used to measure blood and brain levels of Org 25935. All GlyT1 inhibitors increased seizure thresholds dose-dependently, indicative of anticonvulsant activity. SB-710622 and GSK931145 had lower minimum effective doses (MEDs) in the MEST test than other GlyT1 inhibitors. At estimated t(max), increases in dose administered were paralleled by increases in blood and brain concentrations of Org 25935. Thus, increasing extracellular concentration of glycine via inhibition of its uptake protects from electroshock-induced seizures in the rat. Whether strychnine-sensitive or strychnine-insensitive glycine binding sites are involved in this effect remains to be determined.

Comparison between intraperitoneal and subcutaneous phencyclidine administration in Sprague-Dawley rats: a locomotor activity and gene induction study

In a putative model of acute phencyclidine (PCP)-induced psychosis we evaluated effects of the drug on locomotor activity (LMA) and immediate early gene (IEG) induction in the rat using two routes of drug administration, intraperitoneal (i.p.) and subcutaneous (s.c.). Adult male rats received saline or PCP (1.0-5.0 mg/kg) either i.p or s.c. and were assessed for LMA for 60 min. At the end of the LMA testing animals were culled and blood and brain samples were collected for PCP concentration analysis. Separate cohorts of animals received 5.0 mg/kg PCP (i.p. or s.c.) and were used to investigate (1) the pharmacokinetics of PCP or (2) induction of IEG (Arc, c-fos, BDNF, junB, Krox-20, sgk-1, NURR1, fra-2, Krox-24, and egr-3) mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Administration of PCP resulted in locomotor hyperactivity which was more robust and longer-lasting in animals dosed s.c. compared to i.p.-treated-animals. Differences in hyperlocomotion were paralleled by higher concentrations of PCP in the blood and in the brain of s.c.-treated animals compared to i.p.-treated animals. The differences in the concentration of PCP between the two routes of administration were detected 30 min after dosing and persisted for up to 4 h. Administration of PCP via the s.c. route resulted in induction of more IEGs and consistently larger magnitudes of induction than that via the i.p. route. Therefore, we have outlined the dosing conditions to induce rapid and robust effect of acute PCP on behaviour, gene induction, and pharmacokinetic profile, to allow investigation of this as a potential animal model of acute psychosis.

Locomotor response to novelty as a predictor of reactivity to aversive stimuli in the rat

In an animal model for vulnerability to drug abuse, animals that exhibit greater motor activity in a novel environment (high responders; HR) are more sensitive to drugs of abuse and are more likely to self-administer these drugs compared to less reactive animals (low responders; LR). In the light of clinical evidence on comorbidity between drug abuse and mood disorders, we used this model to investigate whether individual differences in locomotor reactivity to novelty are related to anxiety- and depression-like responsiveness using male Sprague-Dawley rats. Animals were categorized as HR and LR based on motor responses to novelty during a 30-min session. Anxiety-like reactivity was then measured using the elevated plus-maze, the defensive withdrawal test and acoustic startle-induced ultrasonic vocalization test. Depression-like reactivity was measured by the forced swim test. HR rats showed less anxiety-like behavior in the elevated plus-maze and defensive withdrawal tests than LR, but the opposite was true in the acoustic startle-induced vocalization test. In response to a series of loud acoustic stimuli, HR rats were faster to begin vocalizing and did so for a longer duration compared to LR. There were only minor differences between LR and HR rats in the forced swim test. These data suggest that an HR/LR model can be used to study a link between vulnerability to drug abuse and anxiety-like reactivity. The exact nature of this link depends upon the model of anxiety used and may reflect the heterogeneous nature of anxiety-like reactivity in the rat.

Body weights and plasma prolactin levels in female rats treated subchronically with ziprasidone versus olanzapine

In a putative animal model of antipsychotic drug-induced weight gain, female rats received either vehicle, ziprasidone (2.0, 6.0, 10 mg/kg) or olanzapine (2.0 mg/kg), orally, twice daily, for 7 days. Body weights were assessed daily and prolactin assayed at the end of the regimen. Ziprasidone caused significant weight gain, as did olanzapine, while stimulating distinct patterns of prolactin secretion. Thus, assessment of body weight provides only limited predictive validity in differentiating between weight gain-inducing and weight-neutral drugs.

Long-lasting changes in behavioural and neuroendocrine indices in the rat following neonatal maternal separation: Gender-dependent effects

Neonatal maternal separation (MS) has been used to model long-term changes in neurochemistry and behaviour associated with exposure to early-life stress. This study characterises changes in behavioural and neuroendocrine parameters following MS. On postnatal days (PND) 3-15, male and female Long-Evans rats underwent 3 h daily MS. Non-handled (NH) control offspring remained with the dams. Starting at PND 90, behaviour was assessed at weekly intervals in the elevated plus-maze, elevated T-maze, and locomotor activity boxes, and body weight monitored throughout. At the end of the study, adrenals were weighed and blood collected for analysis of plasma corticosterone and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) under basal conditions and following restraint stress. As adults, MS weighed more than NH animals. Activity on the open arms of the plus-maze was similar between MS and NH animals. In the T-maze, MS males had shorter emergence latencies than their NH counterparts. Spontaneous ambulation in a novel environment was significantly higher in MS than in NH animals, and males exhibited overall lower activity than females. Basal plasma corticosterone was lower in MS than in NH females, but no rearing condition difference was observed following restraint stress. Females had higher corticosterone and ACTH levels than males, whereas adrenal glands of MS animals weighed less than those of NH controls. The MS paradigm caused long-term gender dependent effects on behaviour and HPA axis status. The consistent gender differences confirm and expand existing results showing altered anxiety and stress reactivity in male and female rats.

Characterisation of olanzapine-induced weight gain and effect of aripiprazole vs olanzapine on body weight and prolactin secretion in female rats

RATIONALE

Atypical antipsychotic drug (APD)-induced weight gain causes non-compliance, increasing the risk of relapse and medical complications.

OBJECTIVES

In an animal model, we assessed body weights, food intake, body fat/lean body mass contents and blood serum levels of glucose and lipids in female rats treated with olanzapine (Experiment 1). Also, we investigated the effect of aripiprazole vs olanzapine treatment on weight gain (WG) and plasma prolactin secretion in two strains (Wistar and Sprague-Dawley) and in two housing conditions (singly and group housed; Experiment 2).

METHODS

In Experiment 1, Wistar females received either vehicle or olanzapine (5.0 mg kg(-1), p.o.) twice daily for 14 days. In Experiment 2, female rats (Wistar or Sprague-Dawley), housed singly or in groups, received either vehicle, aripiprazole (2.0-8.0 mg kg(-1), p.o.), or olanzapine (1.0-10 mg kg(-1), p.o.) twice daily for 7 days. Body weights and food intake were assessed daily. Body composition and blood assays were analyzed at the end of the treatment.

RESULTS

WG induced by chronic olanzapine treatment was characterised by hyperphagia, increased body fat, and serum free fatty acid content and reduced lean tissue and serum glucose content. Subchronic aripiprazole treatment resulted in rapid and robust WG similar to those observed with olanzapine. In spite of similar effects on body weight, aripiprazole and olanzapine stimulated markedly different patterns of prolactin secretion. Body weight changes and prolactin secretion induced by these APDs were significantly modulated by housing and by strain.

CONCLUSION

Assessment of body weight in the present model may not have predictive validity, and other measures may be needed to differentiate between WG-inducing and weight-neutral drugs.

Individual differences in locomotor reactivity to a novel environment and sensitivity to opioid drugs in the rat. I. Expression of morphine-induced locomotor sensitization

RATIONALE

Vulnerability for development of substance abuse is often associated with a "sensation-seeking" or "thrill-seeking" phenotype. In an animal model, rats more reactive in a novel environment (high responders, HR) are more sensitive to stimulant/reinforcing effects of amphetamine and are more likely to self-administer this drug, than are less reactive animals (low responders, LR).

OBJECTIVE

We tested whether HR and LR also differ in sensitivity to effects of morphine on locomotor activity.

METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were categorized as HR or LR based on motor responses to novelty (sorting day; S). After 1 day (B) of baseline activity measurements, subjects were tested daily after SC injections of either morphine (10 mg/kg) or saline for 7 days and again on day 10. Beginning 5 days later, four daily injections of saline and 1.0-10 mg/kg morphine were tested in all animals.

RESULTS

LR and HR were similar in the onset and overall magnitude of sensitization and tolerance following daily morphine administration. HR were more sensitive than LR to locomotor stimulant effects of acute morphine. However, LR had more robust and persistent context-specific increases in activity due to conditioning than did HR, and expression of sensitization was apparent in all behavioral variables.

CONCLUSIONS

These results provide further evidence that phenotypic differences between HR and LR may, in part, be associated with differences in the endogenous opioid systems. Differences in sensitivity to acute versus repeated morphine suggest that at least in relation to opioid drugs, these phenotypes may reflect different aspects of drug vulnerability rather than simply the presence or absence of it.

Individual differences in locomotor reactivity to a novel environment and sensitivity to opioid drugs in the rat. II. Agonist-induced antinociception and antagonist-induced suppression of fluid consumption

RATIONALE

In an animal model for vulnerability to drug abuse, rats that are more reactive to a novel environment (high responders, HRs) are more sensitive to behavioral effects of psychostimulants than are less reactive rats (low responders, LRs). In a companion article, we reported that HRs and LRs differ in sensitivity to morphine-induced locomotor sensitization.

OBJECTIVE

We tested whether LRs and HRs also differ in sensitivity to opioid-induced antinociception and opioid antagonist-induced suppression of fluid consumption.

METHODS

LRs and HRs were categorized based on motor responses to novelty during a 30-min session. Responses to nociceptive stimuli of varied intensities were measured using the tail-flick and hot-plate tests alone or following cumulative doses of morphine (1.0-12 mg/kg), buprenorphine (0.025-0.6 mg/kg), or etorphine (0.25-6.0 microg/kg). Potential changes in endogenous opioid-mediated reward systems were tested using naltrexone-induced (0.01-30 mg/kg) suppression of drinking either water following 24-h deprivation or sweetened condensed milk in a non-deprived state. These effects were further examined following 2 weeks of daily access to sweetened condensed milk.

RESULTS

At the lowest stimulus intensity tested, HRs had significantly shorter tail-flick response latencies than LRs. Additionally, HRs were less responsive to cumulative doses of morphine than LRs. There were no overall group differences in the hot-plate test. Following 2 weeks of daily access to sweetened condensed milk, HRs were more sensitive to naltrexone-induced suppression of consumption.

CONCLUSIONS

Under the proper conditions, differences in sensitivity to opioid drugs between HRs and LRs at least partially extend to antinociceptive and appetitive reward systems and are suggestive of more extensive differences in phenotype. As with the effects of repeated morphine exposure on locomotor activity, the effect of repeated exposure to appetitive reward associated with sweetened milk appears to be more robust in LRs than HRs.

Changes in urination/defecation, auditory startle response, and startle-induced ultrasonic vocalizations in rats undergoing morphine withdrawal: similarities and differences between acute and chronic dependence

In drug-free subjects, a single dose of morphine followed by an opioid antagonist a few hours later results in signs of a withdrawal syndrome, suggesting a state of physical dependence. Increased urination/defecation, altered startle, and ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) are some signs of the withdrawal syndrome in rats chronically dependent on morphine. We investigated whether naltrexone stimulates urination/defecation and alters startle and USV in male rats that were pretreated with only a single dose of morphine and compared these indices to the ones of chronic dependence. Separate groups of rats were pretreated with either a single dose (10 mg/kg) or with a continuous s.c. infusion of morphine via an osmotic pump. Naltrexone (0.01-1.0 mg/kg) was administered 2 to 6 h after the single dose of morphine and on days 7 to 11 of the infusion. Immediately after the naltrexone injection subjects were placed in sound-attenuating boxes to record startle and USV and to collect urine/feces. Subjects chronically exposed to morphine also were tested during spontaneous withdrawal 3 to 24 h after pump removal. Naltrexone increased urination/defecation in subjects pretreated with morphine either chronically or acutely; it increased startle and USV in acutely dependent rats but decreased them in chronically dependent rats. In the latter group, changes in the four variables during spontaneous withdrawal were qualitatively similar to those during precipitated withdrawal but smaller in magnitude. Differences in withdrawal signs between acute and chronic dependence suggest that the neural substrates that mediate those particular components of the withdrawal syndrome are affected differently in the two states of dependence.

Long-lasting changes in morphine-induced locomotor sensitization and tolerance in Long-Evans mother rats as a result of periodic postpartum separation from the litter: a novel model of increased vulnerability to drug abuse?

Daily postpartum separations from the litter produce enduring changes in anxiety and sensitivity to the antinociceptive effects of morphine in Long-Evans dams. We tested whether postpartum experience alters sensitivity to the effects of morphine on locomotor activity. Dams were tested 4-6 weeks after their pups were weaned, and had one of the following backgrounds: daily separation from the litter on postpartum days 2-14 for either 3 h (prolonged separation-LS) or 15 min (brief separation-BS), or no separation (nonhandled control-NH). After 2 consecutive days (B1-2) of baseline activity measurements, subjects were tested daily after s.c. injections of either morphine (10 mg/kg) or saline for 7 days and again on day 10. Beginning 5 days later, saline and 1.0-10 mg/kg of morphine were tested in all dams. On B1, LS and BS dams habituated slower than NH controls, yielding higher horizontal counts. LS dams failed to habituate across baseline days and were more active than other dams on B2. Sensitization, a progressive increase in horizontal activity, was more rapid and robust in LS and BS dams compared to NH animals. LS was the only group that developed tolerance to morphine-induced decreases in vertical activity. In LS dams with the history of morphine treatment, injection of saline resulted in higher horizontal activity and center time compared to saline-treated counterparts, indicative of conditioning. Among animals with a history of saline treatment, LS dams were more sensitive to morphine challenges than BS and NH dams. As a result of the robust and long-lasting increases in the ability of morphine to induce behavioral sensitization in litter-separated dams, periodic postpartum separation may represent a new animal model of increased vulnerability to substance abuse.

Early neonatal experience of Long-Evans rats results in long-lasting changes in reactivity to a novel environment and morphine-induced sensitization and tolerance

In Long-Evans rats, daily 3-h separation from the dam during the neonatal period results in enduring alterations in behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to stressors and sensitivity to antinociceptive effects of acute and chronic morphine. We tested whether early neonatal experience alters sensitivity to effects of morphine on locomotor activity. The subjects were adult rats that had one of the following backgrounds: daily separation from the dam on postnatal days 2-14 for either 3 h (maternal separation (MS)) or 15 min (handled control (H)) or no separation from the dam (non-handled control (NH)). After two consecutive days of baseline activity measurements, subjects were tested daily after SC injections of either morphine (10 mg/kg) or saline for seven days and again on day 10. Beginning five days later, saline and 1.0-10 mg/kg of morphine were tested in all animals. On the baseline days, MS animals had higher horizontal and vertical activity than did NH controls, whereas H animals spent more time in the center of the testing chamber. In MS and H animals but not in NH controls, daily injections of morphine produced progressive increases in all locomotor activity measures, indicative of sensitization (horizontal counts, center time) and tolerance (vertical counts). MS animals with a history of morphine treatment had significantly higher horizontal and vertical activity after a saline injection than did their counterparts with a history of saline treatment, indicative of conditioning. They also exhibited greater locomotor sensitization to 1.0 mg/kg of morphine than did H and NH controls. These results provide further evidence that environmental manipulation in the form of maternal separation early in life results in enduring changes in sensitivity to effects of morphine that could reflect altered endogenous opioid systems.

Long-lasting changes in stress-induced corticosterone response and anxiety-like behaviors as a consequence of neonatal maternal separation in Long-Evans rats

Early neonatal environmental factors appear to have powerful and long-lasting influences on an organism's physiology and behavior. Long-Evans male rats separated from their dam for 3 h daily over the first 2 weeks of life (maternally separated, MS rats) when tested as adults exhibit exaggerated behavioral and neuroendocrine responses to stress compared to 15-min separated (handled, H) animals. The purpose of this study was to compare male and female adult rats that were MS, H or were undisturbed (nonhandled, NH) as neonates in anxiety-like behaviors, in the elevated plus-maze, and in response to startle-inducing auditory stimuli. We confirmed that MS males oversecrete corticosterone (CORT; 2.5-5 times) in response to mild handling stress. MS males and females were less likely to explore open arms of the plus-maze. MS males exhibited 35% higher startle amplitudes compared to controls. Furthermore, MS males were more likely to emit ultrasonic vocalizations in response to startle than were H controls. However, MS and control females did not differ in auditory startle response or in startle-induced ultrasonic vocalizations. Therefore, experiencing maternal separation results in a long-lasting increase in anxiety-like behaviors that occurs in a sex-dependent manner.

MPOA cytotoxic lesions and maternal behavior in the rat: effects of midpubertal lesions on maternal behavior and the role of ovarian hormones in maturation of MPOA control of maternal behavior

Small neurotoxin lesions in the medial preoptic area (MPOA) block maternal behavior (MB) in adults but large lesions are required to produce the same effect in juvenile rats (23-27 days of age). To study the maturation of MPOA control of MB, in Experiment I, we compared the effects of small versus large neurotoxin MPOA lesions at midpuberty (38 days of age) on MB. Midpubertal females with large MPOA lesions showed severe impairment in MB affecting retrieving, crouching, and nest building, but 85% of females with small MPOA lesions exhibited all components of MB and performed like control females without MPOA lesions. To study the role of ovarian hormones during puberty on the maturation of MPOA mediation of MB (Experiment IIA), females were ovariectomized either before or after puberty and small MPOA cytotoxic lesions were made at 53 days of age. At 60 days of age both groups showed similar deficits in MB which indicated that the maturation of the MPOA mediation of MB is not dependent on pubertal ovarian hormones. In Experiment IIB, we administered estradiol benzoate (sc) and this overcame the deficit in MB after small MPOA lesions in females that had been deprived of estrogen for shorter periods (30 days) but had not been deprived for longer periods (60 days). In addition, ovary-intact females with circulating estrogen and small lesions in the MPOA at 53 days of age did not show deficits in MB.