AS-5370 potently antagonizes 5-HT3 receptor-mediated responses on NG108-15 cells and on the rat vagus

Cloning, expression, and characterization of ferret 5-HT(3) receptor subunit

Ferrets (Mustela putorius furo) are useful animals for determining anti-emetic activity via 5-HT(3) receptors in vivo. We isolated a cDNA encoding the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) type 3A receptor subunit (5-HT(3A)) from ferret colon, expressed it in a human embryonic kidney cell line and determined its pharmacological properties. The open reading frame of the isolated cDNA encoded a 483-amino acid protein, corresponding to the shorter splice variant of 5-HT(3A) receptors. Splice variants were no longer detected by reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction. The ferret 5-HT(3A) receptor exhibits a high degree of amino acid sequence identity (>/=80%) to that of other species. Binding studies demonstrated the following rank order of potency for agonists: meta-chlorophenylbiguanide (mCPBG)>2-methyl-5-hydroxytryptamine (2-Me-5-HT)=5-HT, and for antagonists: ondansetron=tropisetron>(+)-tubocurarine>metoclopramide. Electrophysiological studies revealed that mCPBG was a partial agonist and 2-Me-5-HT was an almost fully effective agonist compared to 5-HT.

Facilitation by substance P and inhibition by (+)-tubocurarine of the 5-HT3 receptor-mediated Bezold-Jarisch reflex in rats

The influence of substance P 3 (microgram/kg) and (+)-tubocurarine (850 micrograms/kg) on the Bezold-Jarisch reflex in urethane-anaesthetized rats was studied. The Bezold-Jarisch reflex was induced by the 5-HT3 receptor agonist phenylbiguanide (0.3, 1, 3 and 10 micrograms/kg i.v.) and by capsaicin (10 micrograms/kg i.v.). The 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron (10 micrograms/kg) abolished the phenylbiguanide- but not the capsaicin-stimulated bradycardia, indicating that phenylbiguanide and capsaicin act via different trigger mechanisms (5-HT3 receptor-dependent and -independent, respectively). Substance P significantly potentiated the phenylbiguanide- but not the capsaicin-induced decrease in heart rate. Also, when the phenylbiguanide-induced response was amplified by substance P, it was abolished by ondansetron. (+)-Tubocurarine inhibited the phenylbiguanide-induced bradycardia, but did not affect the capsaicin-stimulated decrease in heart rate. Our results demonstrate that substance P potentiates but (+)-tubocurarine inhibits the 5-HT3 receptor-mediated Bezold-Jarisch reflex. Both effects are probably due to direct influences of the drugs on the 5-HT3 receptors on sensory vagal nerves in the heart.

Characterization of 5-HT3 receptors of N1E-115 neuroblastoma cells by use of the influx of the organic cation [14C]-guanidinium

1. The 5-HT3 receptor-mediated cation influx into N1E-115 mouse neuroblastoma cells has been studied by the use of the organic cation [14C]-guanidinium. 2. 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, 30 microM) caused a time-dependent influx of [14C]-guanidinium which, in contrast to the influx elicited by veratridine (100 microM), was not inhibited by tetrodotoxin (TTX, 10 microM). The 5-HT-induced influx was potentiated by substance P and inhibited by ondansetron. 3. 5-HT and the selective 5-HT3 receptor agonists, m-chloro-phenylbiguanide, phenylbiguanide and 2-methyl-5-HT caused bell-shaped concentration-response curves; the rank order of potency was m-chloro-phenylbiguanide > 5-HT > phenylbiguanide = 2-methyl-5-HT. Among these agonists, 5-HT elicited the highest influx of [14C]-guanidinium. 5-Methoxytryptamine, an agonist at 5-HT4 receptors, showed no effect. 4. The [14C]-guanidinium influx induced by 100 microM 5-HT was not affected by methysergide (10 microM) and ketanserin (10 microM) but was inhibited by 5-HT3 receptor antagonists with the following rank order of potency: ICS 205-930 > ondansetron > MDL 72222 >> metoclopramide. 5. The 5-HT-induced [14C]-guanidinium influx was increased in the absence of Ca2+ and/or Na+ and by a reduction of the temperature from 36 degrees to 20 degrees C. 6. Preincubation with 5-HT (100 microM) caused a time-dependent and rapidly reversible decrease of the 5-HT-induced [14C]-guanidinium influx. 7. It is concluded that [14C]-guanidinium influx measurement in N1E-115 cells is a convenient method to study properties of the cation channel of the 5-HT3 receptor. This influx is independent of the fast sodium channel.