Subcellular distribution of [3H]amphetamine and [3H]guanethidine and their interaction with adrenergic neurons

Intracellular methamphetamine prevents the dopamine-induced enhancement of neuronal firing

The dysregulation of the dopaminergic system is implicated in multiple neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders such as Parkinson disease and drug addiction. The primary target of psychostimulants such as amphetamine and methamphetamine is the dopamine transporter (DAT), the major regulator of extracellular dopamine levels in the brain. However, the behavioral and neurophysiological correlates of methamphetamine and amphetamine administration are unique from one another, thereby suggesting these two compounds impact dopaminergic neurotransmission differentially. We further examined the unique mechanisms by which amphetamine and methamphetamine regulate DAT function and dopamine neurotransmission; in the present study we examined the impact of extracellular and intracellular amphetamine and methamphetamine on the spontaneous firing of cultured midbrain dopaminergic neurons and isolated DAT-mediated current. In dopaminergic neurons the spontaneous firing rate was enhanced by extracellular application of amphetamine > dopamine > methamphetamine and was DAT-dependent. Amphetamine > methamphetamine similarly enhanced DAT-mediated inward current, which was sensitive to isosmotic substitution of Na(+) or Cl(-) ion. Although isosmotic substitution of extracellular Na(+) ions blocked amphetamine and methamphetamine-induced DAT-mediated inward current similarly, the removal of extracellular Cl(-) ions preferentially blocked amphetamine-induced inward current. The intracellular application of methamphetamine, but not amphetamine, prevented the dopamine-induced increase in the spontaneous firing of dopaminergic neurons and the corresponding DAT-mediated inward current. The results reveal a new mechanism for methamphetamine-induced dysregulation of dopaminergic neurons.

The influence of age on N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine accumulation in the human heart

Variations in heart intensity in the 30 min and 4 hr chest images of the radiolabelled lipophilic amine, N-isopropyl-p-[123I]iodoamphetamine (123I-IMP) were observed in 130 patients with lung diseases, aged 23 to 85 yrs. The heart intensity had a significant positive linear correlation with age (r = 0.43 at 30 min, 0.66 at 4 hr). The ratio of 4 hr heart intensity to 30 min heart intensity also had a positive linear correlation (r = 0.59), suggesting slower clearance of the radioactivity from the heart in older than in younger patients during this interval. Other parameters including sex, EKG findings, liver function, blood pressure, the presence of diabetes mellitus and smoking history had no relationship to heart intensity. A significant difference between heart intensities in bronchogenic carcinoma and pneumonia patient groups might be probably due to the age difference between the two groups. Therefore heart intensity in the 4 hr 123I-IMP image may reflect certain metabolic and/or myocardial change(s) with aging.

Current status and prospects of new radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals for cardiovascular nuclear medicine

The rapid emergence of new imaging modalities like positron emission tomography (PET) and single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) and their advance into the clinical arena offered new opportunities for, but also stimulated research and development of new radiopharmaceuticals suitable for cardiac imaging. While tracers of myocardial blood flow remained in the center of interest, other trends heralded possibilities of studying more comprehensively cardiac physiology and pathophysiology as, for example, metabolism, the severity of tissue injury, neural activity and membrane function. N-13 ammonia and rubidium-82 became the primary tracers for evaluating and possibly quantifying regional myocardial blood flow with PET, while cationic Tc-99m isonitrile complexes have now reached a stage where high contrast images of the human heart are obtained on planar scintigraphy and SPECT. These radiopharmaceuticals hold considerable promise for routine clinical use. Tracers of metabolism, especially those labeled with positron emitting isotopes as for example, C-11 palmitate, F-18 2-deoxyglucose, are approaching the phase of clinical use and provide information on regional myocardial substrate metabolism and oxidative processes. Less successful and more limited were developments of single photon emitting tracers of metabolism which remained largely confined to radioiodinated fatty acid analogs. Exploration and characterization of the metabolic fate of the radiolabel in tissue and its relation to the externally observed signal have been truly impressive. Tested in humans primarily in western European countries, these tracers promise to yield metabolic information on a more limited scope. Most widely applied are iodohepta- and hexadecanoic acid and, more recently, the aromatic fatty acid analog, paraiodophenylpentadecanoic acid. Labeled monoclonal antibodies rapidly advanced to the point of clinical use. Accurate identification and sizing of acute myocardial infarction is now possible with Tc-99m or indium-111 labeled specific antimyosin antibody fragments. This success stimulated new research activities for use of labeled antibody techniques in other areas as for example, scintigraphic evaluation of formation and presence of vascular thrombi. While promising, these efforts have however remained in an early stage of development. The same holds true for single photon and positron emitting tracers that are suitable for assessing sympathetic neuron densities in myocardium as well as imaging of both cholinergic and adrenergic receptors.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Evidence that amphetamine and Na+ gradient reversal increase striatal synaptosomal dopamine synthesis through carrier-mediated efflux of dopamine

Amphetamine (AMPH) releases dopamine (DA) from striatal synaptosomes and concomitantly increases DA synthesis. Since AMPH may release DA through carrier-mediated diffusion via reversal of the DA uptake system, the increase in DA synthesis might depend on a functioning uptake carrier. Consistent with such a mechanism, the uptake inhibitors nomifensine (NMF) and benztropine (BZT) completely prevented the AMPH-induced increase in DA synthesis at concentrations known to inhibit DA uptake. Changes in the Na+ gradient across the synaptosomal membrane also promote DA release, since DA and Na+ are cotransported by the neuronal uptake carrier. Incubation of synaptosomes in medium containing decreasing Na+ increased DA synthesis inversely proportional to Na+ over the range 128 to 20 mM. Similarly, incubations in the presence of 10(-4) M ouabain to inhibit Na+, K+-ATPase and allow intracellular accumulation of Na+ also increased DA synthesis. These changes in DA synthesis could also be prevented by BZT and were non-additive with the AMPH-induced increase in DA synthesis. However, a concentration of ouabain (10(-6) M) which by itself did not increase DA synthesis, and does not promote DA release, potentiated the AMPH-induced increase in DA synthesis. Further, the increased DA synthesis promoted by all three manipulations was only marginally dependent on the presence of Ca2+ in the incubation medium. However, at 5 and 10 mM Na+, a second component of increased DA synthesis was observed which was insensitive to BZT, but was prevented by Ca2+ removal. These results suggest that the increase in DA synthesis, and presumably DA release promoted by AMPH, lowered Na+, and ouabain, depend on the availability of the DA carrier at the internal face of the neuronal membrane and the intracellular content of Na+. The second component of increased DA synthesis which is evident at 5 and 10 mM Na+ is discussed in terms of a possible Ca2+-mediated change in DA synthesis which is independent of the DA carrier.

A study of the sympathomimetic action of guanethidine on the isolated anococcygeus muscle of the rat

Guanethidine, acting on the rat isolated anococcygeus, causes adrenergic neurone blockade (slowly terminated by washing), noradrenaline potentiation and, with higher concentrations, spasm (both rapidly terminated by washing). 2 The spasm is an indirect sympathomimetic action, for it is sensitive to phentolamine and reserpine and shows tachyphylaxis. 3 The concentration of cocaine equieffective with the spasmogenic concentration of guanethidine as an inhibitor of noradrenaline uptake caused much less spasm. Moreover, it did not enhance noradrenaline efflux from anococcygeus loaded with (-)-[3H]-noradrenaline, as guanethidine did. 4 The spasm induced by guanethidine in excess of cocaine is due to guanethidine-evoked noradrenaline release.

Selectivity of neuronal degeneration produced by chronic guanethidine treatment

Chronic guanethidine treatment of rats produced extensive damage to sympathetic neurons of the superior cervical ganglion and pelvic plexus. No ultrastuctural changes were observed in parasympathetic cholinergic neurons in the ciliary ganglion and pelvic plexus, nor in sensory neurons in nodose and dorsal root ganglia. A total of only six nerve cell bodies free of degenerative changes were observed in sections of superior cervical ganglia from 20 rats. This suggests either that the earlier estimates of 5% cholinergic neurons in the superior cervical ganglion based on acetylcholinesterase staining are too high, or implies that sympathetic cholinergic neurons, unlike parasympathetic neurons, are damaged by chronic guanethidine treatment.

Possible storage of (+)-amphetamine in catecholaminergic terminals of the striatum and brainstem

6-Hydroxydopamine, given intraventricularly, did not affect the high concentrations of (+)-amphetamine present in the rat striatum and brainstem 1 h after its administration but considerably reduced the small amounts of (+)-amphetamine remaining after 5 h. In contrast, 5,6-dihydroxytryptamine did not modify the (+)-amphetamine concentrations at the times tested. These findings suggest that (+)-amphetamine might be stored in the catecholaminergic but not in the serotonergic central terminals.

The role of p-hydroxylation of amphetamine in its peripheral mode of action

Desipramine completely abolished the blood pressure response to (+) amphetamine in the rat, whereas the tricyclic antidepressant iprindole did not reduce this response. Since both tricyclic drugs inhibit the aromatic hydroxylation of amphetamine, these studies do not support the hypothesis that hydroxylated metabolites of amphetamine, p-hydroxyamphetamine and p-hydroxynorephedrine are essential for the peripheral sympathomimetic effects of amphetamine.

Some characteristics of the adrenergic neurone blocking action of dehydroemetine

The uptake of dehydroemetine by adrenergic neurones was studied indirectly by testing the ability of various procedures to prevent or reverse adrenergic neurone blockade in the periarterially stimulated rabbit isolated ileum. Adrenergic neurone blockade was prevented but not reversed by equilibration with dehydroemetine at low temperature (0 degrees C), in the absence of sodium or in the presence of tetrodotoxin. Noradrenaline, cocaine, potassium deprivation and potassium excess did not modify the adrenergic neurone blocking action of dehydroemetine.

Factors affecting the action of guanethidine on adrenergic neurones

1. The uptake of guanethidine by adrenergic neurones has been studied indirectly by testing the ability of various procedures to prevent or reverse adrenergic neurone blockade in the periarterially stimulated isolated ileum preparation.2. Adrenergic neurone blockade was prevented but not reversed by equilibration with guanethidine (3.3 x 10(-6)M) at low temperatures (10 degrees C), in the absence of sodium or in the presence of tetrodotoxin (0.3 x 10(-6)M) or noradrenaline (1.2 x 10(-3)M).3. Calcium (5 x 10(-2)M) both prevented and, to some extent, reversed the adrenergic neurone blocking action of guanethidine.4. Equilibration with guanethidine in the presence of mersalyl (0.6 x 10(-7)M) or in the absence of potassium or calcium could neither prevent nor reverse adrenergic neurone blockade.

Prejunctional actions of some beta-adrenoreceptor antagonists in the vas deferens preparation of the guinea-pig

1. The beta-adrenoceptor antagonists propranolol, pronethalol, MJ 1999 and Ciba 39089-Ba reduced responses to field stimulation of the guinea-pig isolated vas deferens preparation without significantly affecting responses to exogenously added noradrenaline.2. This prejunctional blocking action of the drugs cannot be correlated with their action as beta-adrenoceptor antagonists or non-specific depressants.3. The blockade produced was more pronounced at low (5-20 Hz) than at high (50 Hz) frequencies of stimulation.4. The blockade was slow in onset, and once established was poorly reversed by washing the preparation over a period of 1 to 2 h.5. The blockade produced could be reversed by dexamphetamine and cocaine.6. These experiments suggest that the beta-adrenoceptor antagonists may have some actions which closely resemble those of the adrenergic neurone blocking agent guanethidine.

Mechanism of the antagonism between guanethidine and dexamphetamine

1. The effects of dexamphetamine were studied on the responses of rabbit ileum, rabbit ear artery and sheep spleen to sympathetic nerve stimulation after exposure to guanethidine and in the absence of guanethidine.2. In the absence of guanethidine, dexamphetamine enhanced the responses to sympathetic stimulation and, in the spleen, this was shown to be due to an increase in noradrenaline output. However, the increase in these responses was much less than the increase obtained in preparations treated with guanethidine.3. Cocaine, in a concentration which produced the same effect on noradrenaline uptake as the concentration of dexamphetamine used, was also effective in reversing the adrenergic neurone blocking actions of guanethidine.4. It is suggested that the antagonism between dexamphetamine and guanethidine is due to a reduction in the uptake of guanethidine by the nerve endings rather than to interaction of the two drugs at the receptor site for the adrenergic neurone blocking action of guanethidine.