Isoflurane Decreases Extracellular Serotonin in the Mouse Hippocampus

Optogenetic activation of dorsal raphe serotonin neurons induces brain-wide activation

Serotonin is a neuromodulator that affects multiple behavioral and cognitive functions. Nonetheless, how serotonin causes such a variety of effects via brain-wide projections and various receptors remains unclear. Here we measured brain-wide responses to optogenetic stimulation of serotonin neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) of the male mouse brain using functional MRI with an 11.7 T scanner and a cryoprobe. Transient activation of DRN serotonin neurons caused brain-wide activation, including the medial prefrontal cortex, the striatum, and the ventral tegmental area. The same stimulation under anesthesia with isoflurane decreased brain-wide activation, including the hippocampal complex. These brain-wide response patterns can be explained by DRN serotonergic projection topography and serotonin receptor expression profiles, with enhanced weights on 5-HT1 receptors. Together, these results provide insight into the DR serotonergic system, which is consistent with recent discoveries of its functions in adaptive behaviors.

Serotonin and Consciousness-A Reappraisal

The serotonergic system of the brain is a major modulator of behaviour. Here we describe a re-appraisal of its function for consciousness based on anatomical, functional and pharmacological data. For a better understanding, the current model of consciousness is expanded. Two parallel streams of conscious flow are distinguished. A flow of conscious content and an affective consciousness flow. While conscious content flow has its functional equivalent in the activity of higher cortico-cortical and cortico-thalamic networks, affective conscious flow originates in segregated deeper brain structures for single emotions. It is hypothesized that single emotional networks converge on serotonergic and other modulatory transmitter neurons in the brainstem where a bound percept of an affective conscious flow is formed. This is then dispersed to cortical and thalamic networks, where it is time locked with conscious content flow at the level of these networks. Serotonin acts in concert with other modulatory systems of the brain stem with some possible specialization on single emotions. Together, these systems signal a bound percept of affective conscious flow. Dysfunctions in the serotonergic system may not only give rise to behavioural and somatic symptoms, but also essentially affect the coupling of conscious affective flow with conscious content flow, leading to the affect-stained subjective side of mental disorders like anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia. The present model is an attempt to integrate the growing insights into serotonergic system function. However, it is acknowledged, that several key claims are still at a heuristic level that need further empirical support.

Serotonin Transporter and Plasma Membrane Monoamine Transporter Are Necessary for the Antidepressant-Like Effects of Ketamine in Mice

Major depressive disorder is typically treated with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), however, SSRIs take approximately six weeks to produce therapeutic effects, if any. Not surprisingly, there has been great interest in findings that low doses of ketamine, a non-competitive N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonist, produce rapid and long-lasting antidepressant effects. Preclinical studies show that the antidepressant-like effects of ketamine are dependent upon availability of serotonin, and that ketamine increases extracellular serotonin, yet the mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. Here we examined the role of the high-affinity, low-capacity serotonin transporter (SERT), and the plasma membrane monoamine transporter (PMAT), a low-affinity, high-capacity transporter for serotonin, as mechanisms contributing to ketamine’s ability to increase extracellular serotonin and produce antidepressant-like effects. Using high-speed chronoamperometry to measure real-time clearance of serotonin from CA3 region of hippocampus in vivo, we found ketamine robustly inhibited serotonin clearance in wild-type mice, an effect that was lost in mice constitutively lacking SERT or PMAT. As expected, in wild-type mice, ketamine produced antidepressant-like effects in the forced swim test. Mapping onto our neurochemical findings, the antidepressant-like effects of ketamine were lost in mice lacking SERT or PMAT. Future research is needed to understand how constitutive loss of either SERT or PMAT, and compensation that occurs in other systems, is sufficient to void ketamine of its ability to inhibit serotonin clearance and produce antidepressant-like effects. Taken together with existing literature, a critical role for serotonin, and its inhibition of uptake via SERT and PMAT, cannot be ruled out as important contributing factors to ketamine’s antidepressant mechanism of action. Combined with what is already known about ketamine’s action at NMDA receptors, these studies help lead the way to the development of drugs that lack ketamine’s abuse potential but have superior efficacy in treating depression.

Type of Anaesthetic Influences [11C]MDL100,907 Binding to 5HT2A Receptors in Porcine Brain

PURPOSE

Anaesthesia routinely is used in animal neuroimaging in order to reduce head motion artefacts and minimize the influence of stress. However, anaesthetics can modify radioligand binding profiles at receptor targets studied by positron emission tomography (PET). Here, we determined the effects of two routine anaesthetics on the binding of a tracer of the serotonin 5HT_2A receptors.

PROCEDURES

Isoflurane- and propofol-anesthetised Göttingen minipigs were imaged with [¹¹C]MDL100,907 PET and analysed using regions of interest and statistical non-parametric mapping.

RESULTS

The binding potentials of the tracer in striatum under isoflurane anaesthesia significantly exceeded those obtained under propofol anaesthesia, an effect we attribute to the higher blood flow in brain induced by the former.

CONCLUSIONS

Interactions between radioligands and anaesthesia must be carefully evaluated in the design of in vivo neuroimaging and interpretation of data.

Hunting for the high-affinity state of G-protein-coupled receptors with agonist tracers: Theoretical and practical considerations for positron emission tomography imaging

The concept of the high‐affinity state postulates that a certain subset of G‐protein‐coupled receptors is primarily responsible for receptor signaling in the living brain. Assessing the abundance of this subset is thus potentially highly relevant for studies concerning the responses of neurotransmission to pharmacological or physiological stimuli and the dysregulation of neurotransmission in neurological or psychiatric disorders. The high‐affinity state is preferentially recognized by agonists in vitro. For this reason, agonist tracers have been developed as tools for the noninvasive imaging of the high‐affinity state with positron emission tomography (PET). This review provides an overview of agonist tracers that have been developed for PET imaging of the brain, and the experimental paradigms that have been developed for the estimation of the relative abundance of receptors configured in the high‐affinity state. Agonist tracers appear to be more sensitive to endogenous neurotransmitter challenge than antagonists, as was originally expected. However, other expectations regarding agonist tracers have not been fulfilled. Potential reasons for difficulties in detecting the high‐affinity state in vivo are discussed.

Dynamic interaction of local and transhemispheric networks is necessary for progressive intensification of hippocampal seizures

The detailed mechanisms of progressive intensification of seizures often occurring in epilepsy are not well understood. Animal models of kindling, with progressive intensification of stimulation-induced seizures, have been previously used to investigate alterations in neuronal networks, but has been obscured by limited recording capabilities during electrical stimulations. Remote networks in kindling have been studied by physical deletions of the connected structures or pathways, inevitably leading to structural reorganisations and related adverse effects. We used optogenetics to circumvent the above-mentioned problems inherent to electrical kindling, and chemogenetics to temporarily inhibit rather than ablate the remote interconnected networks. Progressively intensifying afterdischarges (ADs) were induced by repetitive photoactivation of principal neurons in the hippocampus of anaesthetized transgenic mice expressing ChR2. This allowed, during the stimulation, to reveal dynamic increases in local field potentials (LFPs), which coincided with the start of AD intensification. Furthermore, chemogenetic functional inhibition of contralateral hippocampal neurons via hM4D(Gi) receptors abrogated AD progression. These findings demonstrate that, during repeated activation, local circuits undergo acute plastic changes with appearance of additional network discharges (LFPs), leading to transhemispheric recruitment of contralateral dentate gyrus, which seems to be necessary for progressive intensification of ADs.

Severity classification of repeated isoflurane anesthesia in C57BL/6JRj mice-Assessing the degree of distress

According to the EU Directive 2010/63, the severity of a procedure has to be classified as mild, moderate or severe. General anesthesia is thought to be mild, but the Directive does not differentiate between single and repeated anesthesia. Therefore, we investigated the impact of repeated administration of isoflurane, the most commonly used inhalation anesthetic, on the well-being of adult C57BL/6JRj mice, in comparison to single administrations and to untreated animals, when applied six times for 45 min at an interval of 3–4 days. For the animals anesthetized, excitations, phases of anesthesia, and vital parameters were monitored. Well-being after anesthesia was assessed using a behavioral test battery including luxury behavior like burrowing and nest building behavior, the Mouse Grimace Scale (MGS), the free exploratory paradigm for anxiety-related behavior, home cage activity and the rotarod test for activity, as well as food intake and body weight. Additionally, hair corticosterone and fecal corticosterone metabolites were measured. Our results show that nest building behavior, home cage activity, body weight, and corticosterone concentrations were not influenced by anesthesia, whereas changes in burrowing behavior, the MGS, food intake, and the free exploratory behavior indicated that the well-being of the mice was more affected by repeated than single isoflurane anesthesia. This effect depended on the sex of the animals, with female mice being more susceptible than male mice. However, repeated isoflurane anesthesia caused only short-term mild distress and impairment of well-being, mainly in the immediate postanesthetic period. Well-being stabilized at 8 days after the last anesthesia, at the latest. Therefore, we conclude that when using our anesthesia protocol, the severity of both single and repeated isoflurane anesthesia in C57BL/6JRj mice can be classified as mild. However, within the mild severity category, repeated isoflurane anesthesia ranks higher than single isoflurane anesthesia. Additionally, our results imply that male and female mice can differently perceive the severity of a procedure.

Marmoset Serotonin 5-HT1A Receptor Mapping with a Biased Agonist PET Probe 18F-F13714: Comparison with an Antagonist Tracer 18F-MPPF in Awake and Anesthetized States

BACKGROUND

In vivo mapping by positron emission tomography of the serotonin 1A receptors has been hindered by the lack of suitable agonist positron emission tomography probes. ¹⁸F-labeled F13714 is a recently developed biased agonist positron emission tomography probe that preferentially targets subpopulations of serotonin 1A receptors in their "active state," but its brain labeling pattern in nonhuman primate has not been described. In addition, a potential confound in the translatability of PET data between nonhuman animal and human arise from the use of anesthetics that may modify the binding profiles of target receptors.

METHODS

Positron emission tomography scans were conducted in a cohort of common marmosets (n=4) using the serotonin 1A receptor biased agonist radiotracer, ¹⁸F-F13714, compared with a well-characterized ¹⁸F-labeled antagonist radiotracer, ¹⁸F-MPPF. Experiments on each animal were performed under both consciousness and isoflurane-anesthesia conditions.

RESULTS

¹⁸F-F13714 binding distribution in marmosets by positron emission tomography differs markedly from that of the ¹⁸F-MPPF. Whereas ¹⁸F-MPPF showed highest binding in hippocampus and amygdala, ¹⁸F-F13714 showed highest labeling in other regions, including insular and cingulate cortex, thalamus, raphe, caudate nucleus, and putamen. The binding potential values of ¹⁸F-F13714 were about one-third of those observed with ¹⁸F-MPPF, with marked individual- and region-specific differences under isoflurane-anesthetized vs conscious conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings highlight the importance of investigating the brain imaging of serotonin 1A receptors using agonist probes such as ¹⁸F-F13714, which may preferentially target subpopulations of serotonin 1A receptors in specific brain regions of nonhuman primate as a biased agonist.

Comparative assessment of (18) F-Mefway as a serotonin 5-HT1A receptor PET imaging agent across species: Rodents, nonhuman primates, and humans

We have developed (18) F-trans-Mefway ((18) F-Mefway) for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging studies of serotonin 5-HT1A receptors which are implicated in various brain functions. Translation of imaging the 5-HT1A receptor in animal models to humans will facilitate an understanding of the role of the receptor in human brain disorders. We report comparative brain distribution of (18) F-Mefway in normal mice, rats, monkeys, and healthy human volunteers. Mefway was found to be very selective, with subnanomolar affinity for the 5-HT1A receptor. Affinities of >55 nM were found for all other human-cloned receptor subtypes tested. Mefway was found to be a poor substrate (>30 μM) for the multidrug resistance 1 protein, suggesting low likelihood of brain uptake being affected by P-glycoprotein. Cerebellum was used as a reference region in all imaging studies across all species due to the low levels of (18) F-Mefway binding. Consistent binding of (18) F-Mefway in cortical regions, hippocampus, and raphe was observed across all species. (18) F-Mefway in the human brain regions correlated with the known postmortem distribution of 5-HT1A receptors. Quantitation of raphe was affected by the resolution of the PET scanners in rodents, whereas monkeys and humans showed a raphe to cerebellum ratio of approximately 3. (18) F-Mefway appears to be an effective 5-HT1A receptor imaging agent in all models, including humans. (18) F-Mefway therefore may be used to quantify 5-HT1A receptor distribution in brain regions for the study of various CNS disorders. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:1457-1471, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Effects of anesthetics on vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 binding to ¹⁸F-FP-(+)-DTBZ: a biodistribution study in rat brain

OBJECTIVES

The in vivo binding analysis of vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 (VMAT2) to radioligand has provided a means of investigating related disorders. Anesthesia is often inevitable when the investigations are performed in animals. In the present study, we tested effects of four commonly-used anesthetics: isoflurane, pentobarbital, chloral hydrate and ketamine, on in vivo VMAT2 binding to (18)F-FP-(+)-DTBZ, a specific VMAT2 radioligand, in rat brain.

METHODS

The transient equilibrium time window for in vivo binding of (18)F-FP-(+)-DTBZ after a bolus injection was firstly determined. The brain biodistribution studies under anesthetized and awake rats were then performed at the equilibrium time. Standard uptake values (SUVs) of the interest brain regions: the striatum (ST), hippocampus (HP), cortex (CX) and cerebellum (CB) were obtained; and ratios of tissue to cerebellum were calculated.

RESULTS

Isoflurane and pentobarbital did not alter distribution of (18)F-FP-(+)-DTBZ in the brain relative to the awake group; neither SUVs nor ratios of ST/CB and HP/CB were altered significantly. Chloral hydrate significantly increased SUVs of all the brain regions, but did not significantly alter ratios of ST/CB and HP/CB. Ketamine significantly increased SUVs of the striatum, hippocampus and cortex, and insignificantly increased the SUV of the cerebellum; consequently, ketamine significantly increased ratios of ST/CB and HP/CB.

CONCLUSIONS

It is concluded that in vivo VMAT2 binding to (18)F-FP-(+)-DTBZ are not altered by isoflurane and pentobarbital, but altered by chloral hydrate and ketamine. Isoflurane and pentobarbital may be promising anesthetic compounds for investigating in vivo VMAT2 binding. Further studies are warranted to investigate the interactions of anesthetics with VMAT2 binding potential with in vivo PET studies.

Permeation of Dopamine Sulfate through the Blood-Brain Barrier

Dopamine sulfate (DA-3- and DA-4-S) have been determined in the human brain, but it is unclear whether they are locally formed in the central nervous system (CNS), or transported into the CNS from peripheral sources. In the current study, permeation of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by DA-S was studied by injecting ¹³C₆-labelled regioisomers of DA-S (¹³DA-3-S and ¹³DA-4-S) and dopamine (DA) subcutaneously (s.c.) in anesthetized rats, then analyzing brain microdialysis and plasma samples by UPLC-MS/MS. The results in the microdialysis samples demonstrated that brain concentrations of ¹³DA-S regioisomers clearly increased after the s.c. injections. The concentration of DA did not change, indicating the permeation of DA-S through an intact BBB. The analysis of plasma samples, however, showed that DA-S only permeates the BBB to a small extent, as the concentrations in plasma were substantially higher than in the microdialysis samples. The results also showed that the concentrations of DA-3-S were around three times higher than the concentrations of DA-4-S in rat brain, as well as in the plasma samples after the s.c. injections, indicating that DA-3-S and DA-4-S permeate the BBB with similar efficiency. The fate of ¹³DA-S in brain was followed by monitoring ¹³C₆-labelled DA-S hydrolysis products, i.e. ¹³DA and its common metabolites; however, no ¹³C₆-labelled products were detected. This suggests that DA-S either permeates through the BBB back to the peripheral circulation or is dissociated or metabolized by unexpected mechanisms.

Brain areas that influence general anesthesia

This document reviews the literature on local brain manipulation of general anesthesia in animals, focusing on behavioral and electrographic effects related to hypnosis or loss of consciousness. Local inactivation or lesion of wake-active areas, such as locus coeruleus, dorsal raphe, pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus, perifornical area, tuberomammillary nucleus, ventral tegmental area and basal forebrain, enhanced general anesthesia. Anesthesia enhancement was shown as a delayed emergence (recovery of righting reflex) from anesthesia or a decrease in the minimal alveolar concentration that induced loss of righting. Local activation of various wake-active areas, including pontis oralis and centromedial thalamus, promoted behavioral or electrographic arousal during maintained anesthesia and facilitated emergence. Lesion of the sleep-active ventrolateral preoptic area resulted in increased wakefulness and decreased isoflurane sensitivity, but only for 6 days after lesion. Inactivation of any structure within limbic circuits involving the medial septum, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens, ventral pallidum, and ventral tegmental area, amygdala, entorhinal and piriform cortex delayed emergence from anesthesia, and often reduced anesthetic-induced behavioral excitation. In summary, the concept that anesthesia works on the sleep-wake system has received strong support from studies that inactivated/lesioned or activated wake-active areas, and weak support from studies that lesioned sleep-active areas. In addition to the conventional wake-sleep areas, limbic structures such as the medial septum, hippocampus and prefrontal cortex are also involved in the behavioral response to general anesthesia. We suggest that hypnosis during general anesthesia may result from disrupting the wake-active neuronal activities in multiple areas and suppressing an atropine-resistant cortical activation associated with movements.

Anesthesia-induced hypothermia mediates decreased ARC gene and protein expression through ERK/MAPK inactivation

Several anesthetics have been reported to suppress the transcription of a number of genes, including Arc, also known as Arg3.1, an immediate early gene that plays a significant role in memory consolidation. The purpose of this study was to explore the mechanism of anesthesia-mediated depression in Arc gene and protein expression. Here, we demonstrate that isoflurane or propofol anesthesia decreases hippocampal Arc protein expression in rats and mice. Surprisingly, this change was secondary to anesthesia-induced hypothermia. Furthermore, we confirm in vivo and in vitro that hypothermia per se is directly responsible for decreased Arc protein levels. This effect was the result of the decline of Arc mRNA basal levels following inhibition of ERK/MAPK by hypothermia. Overall, our results suggest that anesthesia-induced hypothermia leads to ERK inhibition, which in turns decreases Arc levels. These data give new mechanistic insights on the regulation of immediate early genes by anesthesia and hypothermia.

5-HT2A receptors in the feline brain: 123I-5-I-R91150 kinetics and the influence of ketamine measured with micro-SPECT

Subanesthetic doses of ketamine can be used as a rapid-acting antidepressant in patients with treatment-resistant depression. Therefore, the brain kinetics of (123)I-5-I-R91150 (4-amino-N-[1-[3-(4-fluorophenyl)propyl]-4-methylpiperidin-4-yl]-5-iodo-2-methoxybenzamide) and the influence of ketamine on the postsynaptic serotonin-2A receptor (5-hydroxytryptamine-2A, or 5-HT2A) status were investigated in cats using micro-SPECT.

METHODS

This study was conducted on 6 cats using the radioligand (123)I-5-I-R91150, a 5-HT2A receptor antagonist, as the imaging probe. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with a continuous-rate infusion of propofol (8.4 ± 1.2 mg kg(-1) followed by 0.22 mg kg(-1) min(-1)) 75 min after tracer administration, and acquisition of the first image began 15 min after induction of anesthesia. After this first acquisition, propofol (0.22 mg kg(-1) min(-1)) was combined with ketamine (5 mg kg(-1) followed by 0.023 mg kg(-1) min(-1)), and the second acquisition began 15 min later. Semiquantification, with the cerebellum as a reference region, was performed to calculate the 5-HT2A receptor binding indices (parameter for available receptor density) in the frontal and temporal cortices. The binding indices were analyzed with Wilcoxon signed ranks statistics.

RESULTS

The addition of ketamine to the propofol continuous-rate infusion resulted in decreased binding indices in the right frontal cortex (1.25 ± 0.22 vs. 1.45 ± 0.16; P = 0.028), left frontal cortex (1.34 ± 0.15 vs. 1.49 ± 0.10; P = 0.028), right temporal cortex (1.30 ± 0.17 vs. 1.45 ± 0.09; P = 0.046), and left temporal cortex (1.41 ± 0.20 vs. 1.52 ± 0.20; P = 0.046).

CONCLUSION

This study showed that cats can be used as an animal model for studying alterations of the 5-HT2A receptor status with (123)I-5-I-R91150 micro-SPECT. Furthermore, an interaction between ketamine and the 5-HT2A receptors resulting in decreased binding of (123)I-5-I-R91150 in the frontal and temporal cortices was demonstrated. Whether the decreased radioligand binding resulted from a direct competition between ketamine and (123)I-5-I-R91150 or from a decreased affinity of the 5-HT2A receptor caused by ketamine remains to be elucidated.

Functional and structural neural network characterization of serotonin transporter knockout rats

Brain serotonin homeostasis is crucially maintained by the serotonin transporter (5-HTT), and its down-regulation has been linked to increased vulnerability for anxiety- and depression-related behavior. Studies in 5-HTT knockout (5-HTT^-/-) rodents have associated inherited reduced functional expression of 5-HTT with increased sensitivity to adverse as well as rewarding environmental stimuli, and in particular cocaine hyperresponsivity. 5-HTT down-regulation may affect normal neuronal wiring of implicated corticolimbic cerebral structures. To further our understanding of its contribution to potential alterations in basal functional and structural properties of neural network configurations, we applied resting-state functional MRI (fMRI), pharmacological MRI of cocaine-induced activation, and diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) in 5-HTT^-/- rats and wild-type controls (5-HTT^+/+). We found that baseline functional connectivity values and cocaine-induced neural activity within the corticolimbic network was not significantly altered in 5-HTT^-/- versus 5-HTT^+/+ rats. Similarly, DTI revealed mostly intact white matter structural integrity, except for a reduced fractional anisotropy in the genu of the corpus callosum of 5-HTT^-/- rats. At the macroscopic level, analyses of complex graphs constructed from either functional connectivity values or structural DTI-based tractography results revealed that key properties of brain network organization were essentially similar between 5-HTT^+/+ and 5-HTT^-/- rats. The individual tests for differences between 5-HTT^+/+ and 5-HTT^-/- rats were capable of detecting significant effects ranging from 5.8% (fractional anisotropy) to 26.1% (pharmacological MRI) and 29.3% (functional connectivity). Tentatively, lower fractional anisotropy in the genu of the corpus callosum could indicate a reduced capacity for information integration across hemispheres in 5-HTT^-/- rats. Overall, the comparison of 5-HTT^-/- and wild-type rats suggests mostly limited effects of 5-HTT genotype on MRI-based measures of brain morphology and function.

The relation of developmental changes in brain serotonin transporter (5HTT) and 5HT1A receptor binding to emotional behavior in female rhesus monkeys: effects of social status and 5HTT genotype

The goal of the present study was to examine how social subordination stress and 5HTT polymorphisms affect the development of brain serotonin (5HT) systems during the pubertal transition in female rhesus monkeys. We also examined associations with developmental changes in emotional reactivity in response to a standardized behavioral test, the Human Intruder (HI). Our findings provide the first longitudinal evidence of developmental increases in 5HT1A receptor and 5HTT binding in the brain of female primates from pre- to peripuberty. The increase in 5HT1A BP(ND) in these socially housed female rhesus monkeys is a robust finding, occurring across all groups, regardless of social status or 5HTT genotype, and occurring in the left and right hemispheres of all prefrontal regions studied, as well as the amygdala, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and raphe nuclei. 5HTT BP(ND) also showed an increase with age in raphe, anterior cingulate cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. These changes in brain 5HT systems take place as females establish more adult-like patterns of social behavior, as well as during the HI paradigm. Indeed, the main developmental changes in behavior during the HI (increase in freezing and decrease in submission/appeasement) were related to neurodevelopmental increases in 5HT1A receptors and 5HTT, because the associations between these behaviors and 5HT endpoints emerge at peripuberty. We detected an effect of social status on 5HT1A BP(ND) in the hypothalamus and on 5HTT BP(ND) in the orbitofrontal cortex, with subordinates showing higher BP(ND) than dominants in both cases during the pubertal transition. No main effects of 5HTT genotype were observed for 5HT1A or 5HTT BP(ND). Our findings indicate that adolescence in female rhesus monkeys is a period of central 5HT reorganization, partly influenced by exposure to the social stress of subordination, that likely functions to integrate adrenal and gonadal systems and shape the behavioral response to emotionally challenging social situations.

No change in [¹¹C]CUMI-101 binding to 5-HT(1A) receptors after intravenous citalopram in human

The main objective of this study was to determine the sensitivity of [¹¹C]CUMI-101 to citalopram challenge aiming at increasing extracellular 5-HT. CUMI-101 has agonistic properties in human embryonic kidney 293 cells transfected with human recombinant 5-HT(1A) receptors (Hendry et al. [2011] Nucl Med Biol 38:273-277; Kumar et al. [2006] J Med Chem 49:125-134) and has previously been demonstrated to be sensitive to bolus citalopram in monkeys (Milak et al. [2011] J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 31:243-249). We studied six healthy individuals. Two PET-scans were performed on the same day in each individual before and after constant infusion of citalopram (0.15 mg/kg). The imaging data were analyzed using two tissue compartment kinetic modeling with metabolite corrected arterial input and Simplified Reference Tissue Modeling using cerebellum as a reference region. There was no significant difference in regional distribution volume or non-displaceable binding potential values before and after citalopram infusion. The mean receptor occupancy was 0.03 (range -0.14 to 0.17). Our data imply that [¹¹C]CUMI-101 binding is not sensitive to citalopram infusion in humans.

In vivo serotonin-sensitive binding of [11C]CUMI-101: a serotonin 1A receptor agonist positron emission tomography radiotracer

Positron emission tomography studies of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)(1A) receptors have hitherto been limited to antagonist radiotracers. Antagonists do not distinguish high/low-affinity conformations of G protein-coupled receptors and are less likely to be sensitive to intrasynaptic serotonin levels. We developed a novel 5-HT(1A) agonist radiotracer [(11)C]CUMI-101. This study evaluates the sensitivity of [(11)C]CUMI-101 binding to increases in intrasynaptic serotonin induced by intravenous citalopram and fenfluramine. Two Papio anubis were scanned, using [(11)C]CUMI-101 intravenous bolus of 4.5 ± 1.5 mCi. Binding potential (BP(F)=B(avail)/K(D)) was measured before (n=10) and 20 minutes after elevation of intrasynaptic serotonin by intravenous citalopram (2 mg/kg, n=3; 4 mg/kg, n=3) and fenfluramine (2.5 mg/kg, n=3) using a metabolite-corrected arterial input function. Occupancy was also estimated by the Lassen graphical approach. Both citalopram and fenfluramine effects were significant for BP(F) (P=0.031, P=0.049, respectively). The Lassen approach estimated 15.0, 30.4, and 23.7% average occupancy after citalopram 2 mg/kg, 4 mg/kg, and fenfluramine 2.5 mg/kg, respectively. [(11)C]CUMI-101 binding is sensitive to a large increase in intrasynaptic serotonin in response to robust pharmacological challenges. These modest changes in BP(F) may make it unlikely that this ligand will detect changes in intrasynaptic 5-HT under physiologic conditions; future work will focus on evaluating its utility in measuring the responsiveness of the 5-HT system to pharmacological challenges.

Carnosine protects against the neurotoxic effects of a serotonin-derived melanoid

Anesthesia-related postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) leads to morbidity in the elderly. Lipid peroxidative byproducts (i.e. acrolein) accumulate in aging and may play a role. Sevoflurane, an inhaled anesthetic, sequesters acrolein and enhances the formation of a serotonin-derived melanoid (SDM). SDM may be a biologically relevant polymeric melanoid that we previously showed exhibits redox activity and disrupts lipid bilayers. In this study, we examined the toxicity of SDM in cell culture and looked at protection using L-carnosine. SDM's toxic effects were tested on neuronal-like SH-SY5Y cells, causing an exponential decrease in viability, while human dermal fibroblasts were completely resistant to the toxic effects. SDM brought about morphological changes to differentiated SH-SY5Y cells, particularly to neuronal processes. Co- but not pre-treatment with L-carnosine protected differentiated SH-SY5Y cells exposed to SDM. Our mechanism suggests focal sevoflurane-induced sequestration of age-related acrolein leading to SDM synthesis and neuronal impairment, which is prevented by L-carnosine.

Redox mechanism of neurotoxicity by a serotonin-acrolein polymeric melanoid

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction may be associated with the toxic products of lipid peroxidation, such as the α,β-unsaturated aldehyde acrolein, which accumulates in aging. We previously identified an acrolein-mediated, serotonin-derived melanoid product, or SDM. This study further characterizes this putative novel neuromelanin, which is not made from catecholamines. In addition to its strong protein-binding properties, we observed that SDM binds Fe(2+) readily and exhibits complex redox characteristics. SDM may exist as a two-dimensional network of polymers that coalesce into larger entities exhibiting electroactive properties. These observations suggest that SDM may contribute to the decline in cognition due to focal degeneration from SDM-mediated free-radical production. We know that inhalational anesthetics sequester acrolein, which is toxic to neurons, and we propose that the local increase in acrolein depletes serotonin levels and enhances neuronal vulnerability through the production of neuromelanin-like structures, such as SDM.

Toxicity of a serotonin-derived neuromelanin

Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD) is associated with increased mortality in the elderly and may occur from lipid peroxidation in aging. We previously showed that sevoflurane sequesters acrolein, which promotes the formation of a novel species of a putative neuromelanin. The current study examined the properties of this serotonin-derived melanoid (SDM). The interaction of SDM with unilamellar vesicles (ULVs) was examined using lipid membrane probes. Vesicle disruption was investigated by leakage of dye from calcein-loaded ULVs. We observed that SDM decreased diphenyl-hexatriene fluorescence anisotropy and increased the temperature-dependent change in anisotropy. SDM changed the absorbance of merocyanin-bound ULVs. SDM increased detergent-mediated calcein leakage. SDM structure was dramatically altered upon interaction with ULVs. We also observed that SDM enhanced detergent-mediated leakage of loaded ULVs, suggesting that SDM may be neurotoxic. We propose that inhalational agents, which sequester acrolein, may promote the production of certain species of neuromelanin that depletes local serotonin and enhances neuronal vulnerability.

Serotonergic lesions of the dorsal hippocampus differentially modulate locomotor hyperactivity induced by drugs of abuse in rats: implications for schizophrenia

RATIONALE

Psychotomimetic drug-induced locomotor hyperactivity is a widely used animal model of psychotic states, such as in schizophrenia. We previously found that serotonergic lesions of the dorsal, but not ventral, hippocampus in rats result in enhanced phencyclidine-induced locomotor hyperactivity.

OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of serotonin depletion in the dorsal and ventral hippocampus on hyperlocomotion induced by ketamine, cocaine, 3,4-methylenedioxymethampethamine (MDMA), methamphetamine, and D: -amphetamine.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Male Sprague-Dawley rats were bilaterally microinjected with vehicle or the serotonergic neurotoxin, 5,7-dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT), into the dorsal or ventral hippocampus using a stereotaxic approach. Separate cohorts of rats were used for each drug of abuse; each rat received saline and a low, medium, and high dose of the drug in a random-sequence, repeated-measures protocol. Locomotor hyperactivity following treatment was measured using automated photocell cages.

RESULTS

Similar to phencyclidine, 5,7-DHT-induced lesions of the dorsal hippocampus enhanced ketamine-induced hyperlocomotion at all doses. They also reduced methamphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion at the high dose only and caused a minor, biphasic modulation of responses to cocaine. Locomotor responses to D: -amphetamine and MDMA were unchanged by lesions of the dorsal hippocampus. Serotonergic lesions of the ventral hippocampus did not significantly alter locomotor hyperactivity induced by any of the drugs investigated.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings further implicate a role for serotonin in the dorsal hippocampus in modulating the behavioral effects of dissociative anesthetics, such as ketamine, with more subtle effects on psychostimulant drugs of abuse. The dorsal hippocampus may be a site of serotonergic dysfunction in aspects of schizophrenia.

Inspiratory activation is not required for episodic hypoxia-induced respiratory long-term facilitation in postnatal rats

Episodic hypoxia causes repetitive inspiratory activation that induces a form of respiratory plasticity termed long-term facilitation (LTF). While LTF is a function of the hypoxic exposures and inspiratory activation, their relative importance in evoking LTF is unknown. The aims of this study were to: (1) dissociate the relative roles played by episodic hypoxia and respiratory activation in LTF; and (2) determine whether the magnitude of LTF varies as a function of hypoxic intensity. We did this by examining the effects of episodic hypoxia in postnatal rats (15-25 days old), which unlike adult rats exhibit a prominent hypoxia-induced respiratory depression. We quantified inspiratory phrenic nerve activity generated by the in situ working-heart brainstem before, during and for 60 min after episodic hypoxia. We demonstrate that episodic hypoxia evokes LTF despite the fact that it potently suppresses inspiratory activity during individual hypoxic exposures (P < 0.05). Specifically, we show that after episodic hypoxia (three 5 min periods of 10% O2) respiratory frequency increased to 40 +/- 3.3% above baseline values over the next 60 min (P < 0.001). Continuous hypoxia (15 min of 10% O2) had no lasting effects on respiratory frequency (P > 0.05). To determine if LTF magnitude was affected by hypoxic intensity, the episodic hypoxia protocol was repeated under three different O2 tensions. We demonstrate that the magnitude and time course of LTF depend on hypoxic severity, with more intense hypoxia inducing a more potent degree of LTF. We conclude that inspiratory activation is not required for LTF induction, and that hypoxia per se is the physiological stimulus for eliciting hypoxia-induced respiratory LTF.

Production of a novel neuromelanin at the sevoflurane-water interface

Postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) occurs in the elderly following surgery that requires inhaled anesthetics. The molecular mechanism associated with this process is unknown. This study examined the possible role of serotonin, a neurotransmitter involved in cognition. We observed that sevoflurane, a common inhaled anesthetic, formed a separate phase in water similar to that of chloroform. Additionally, sevoflurane sequestered acrolein, which is a lipid peroxidation product associated with aging and is elevated in the elderly brain. The enhanced partitioning of acrolein increased the focal concentration and hence reactivity to serotonin which preferentially occurred at the sevoflurane-water interface. The resulting product exhibited unique properties similar to catecholamine-derived neuromelanin.

NARCOBIT: a newly developed inhalational anesthesia system for mice

NARCOBIT is the first anesthetic system for mice and rats to incorporate a ventilator. Therefore, it is expected to improve the reliability of mice and rat experiments by accurately controlling and maintaining the depth of anesthesia. In this study, we used NARCOBIT for inducing inhalational anesthesia in mice and evaluated the changes in their hemodynamic parameters. ICR mice were anesthetized with 5% isoflurane and room air, followed by endotracheal intubation. Subsequently, they were mechanically ventilated, and anesthesia was maintained by 2% isoflurane for a 60-min period (maintenance state) using NARCOBIT. In study 1, the heart rate (HR) and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) were measured. The skin blood flow (SBF) from the hind legs was continuously measured during the maintenance state. Subsequently, the concentration-dependent effects of isoflurane on MAP were examined. In study 2, blood samples were obtained from the abdominal aorta for blood gas analysis. The HR and MAP decreased after anesthesia but were stable during the maintenance state. Decreased MAP and concentration-dependent effects of isoflurane were observed. The SBF increased slightly during the maintenance state but this increase was insignificant. The blood gas analysis showed neither hypoxia nor hypercapnia. Since the use of NARCOBIT enables the anesthetic concentration of isoflurane to be easily changed, a suitable anesthesia depth can be obtained for experimental purposes. Therefore, we conclude that NARCOBIT can be used for providing inhalational anesthesia to mice.