Effects of RO 60 0175, a 5-HT(2C) receptor agonist, in three animal models of anxiety

There is some controversy as to whether 5-HT(2C) receptor agonists are anxiogenic or anxiolytic. The effects of the novel 5-HT(2C) receptor agonist, (S)-2-chloro-5-fluoro-indol-1-yl)-1-methyl ethylamine fumarate (RO 60 0175), in three models of anxiety were therefore tested. RO 60 0175 was found to induce hypolocomotion in rats at doses greater than 0.5 mg/kg s.c., an effect reversed by the selective 5-HT(2C) receptor antagonist, SB-242084. RO 60 0175 did not elicit anxiolytic-like responses in the social interaction test under high light unfamiliar conditions, but suppressed both time spent in social interaction and locomotion at doses of 1 and 3 mg/kg s.c., suggesting a sedative response. In the Vogel conflict test, RO 60 0175 had no significant action on the number of shocks taken. In the Geller-Seifter test, RO 60 0175 (0.3 and 1 mg/kg s.c.) simultaneously reduced both unpunished and punished lever pressing, a profile consistent with sedation. Finally, RO 60 0175 was tested in a rat social interaction test under low light familiar conditions optimal for the detection of anxiogenic-like responses. At 1 and 3 mg/kg s.c., RO 60 0175 reduced both time spent in social interaction and concurrent locomotion, a profile more consistent with sedation than anxiogenesis. In conclusion, RO 60 0175 induced sedative-like responses via 5-HT(2C) receptor activation, but was neither anxiolytic, nor clearly anxiogenic at the doses tested.

Anxiolytic-like actions of BW 723C86 in the rat Vogel conflict test are 5-HT2B receptor mediated

The 5-HT2B receptor agonist, BW 723C86 (10, 30(mg/kg i.p. 30 min pre-test), increased the number of punishments accepted in a rat Vogel drinking conflict paradigm over 3 min, as did the benzodiazepine anxiolytics, chlordiazepoxide (2.5-10 mg/kg p.o. 1 h pre-test) and alprazolam (0.2-5 mg/kg p.o. 1 h pre-test), but not the 5-HT2C/2B receptor agonist, m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP, 0.3-3 mg/kg i.p) or the 5-HT1A receptor agonist, buspirone (5-20 mg/kg p.o. 1 h pre-test). The effect of BW 723C86 was unlikely to be secondary to enhanced thirst, as BW 723C86 did not increase the time that rats with free access to water spent drinking, nor did it reduce sensitivity to shock in the apparatus. The anti-punishment effect of BW 723C86 was opposed by prior treatment with the 5-HT2/2B receptor antagonist, SB-206553 (10 and 20 mg/kg p.o. 1 h pre-test), and the selective 5-HT2B receptor antagonist, SB-215505 (1 and 3 mg/kg p.o. 1 h pre-test), but not by the selective 5-HT2C receptor antagonist, SB-242084 (5 mg/kg p.o.), or the 5-HT1A receptor antagonist, WAY 100635 (0.1 or 0.3 mg/kg s.c. 30 min pre-test). Thus, the anti-punishment action of BW 723C86 is likely to be 5-HT2B receptor mediated. This is consistent with previous reports that BW 723C86 exhibited anxiolytic-like properties in both the social interaction and Geller-Seifter conflict tests.

Anxiolytic-like actions of the selective 5-HT4 receptor antagonists SB 204070A and SB 207266A in rats

The highly selective 5-HT4 receptor antagonists, SB 204070A (0.001-0.1 mg/kg s.c., 30 min pretest) and SB 207266A (0.01, 1 and 10 mg/kg p.o., 1 hr pre-test), increased time spent in social interaction without affecting locomotor activity, in a rat 15 min social interaction test under high light, unfamiliar conditions. At 1 and 10 mg/kg s.c., SB 204070A was no longer active. These results are consistent with the profile expected of anxiolytic treatments in this procedure. In a rat 5 min elevated x-maze test, SB 204070A (0.01 and 1 mg/kg s.c., 30 min pre-test) significantly increased the percentage of time spent on the open arms. SB 204070A (0.01 mg/kg s.c.) and SB 207266A (1 mg/kg p.o., 1 hr pre-test) also increased percentage entries to the open arms. Neither compound affected locomotion at any dose tested in the procedure. The effects of both compounds in this procedure are also consistent with anxiolysis. Neither SB 204070A (0.1 or 1 mg/kg s.c., 30 min pre-test) nor SB 207266A (0.1 or 1 mg/kg p.o., 1 hr pre-test) affected either unpunished or punished responding, in a rat Geller-Seifter conflict model of anxiety. The maximal efficacy of both SB 204070A and SB 207266A in the rat social interaction test was similar to that of the benzodiazepine anxiolytic chlordiazepoxide (5 mg/kg s.c. or p.o.) used as a positive control, but was considerably less in the elevated x-maze procedure. The results suggest that 5-HT4 receptor antagonists may have modest anxiolytic-like actions in rats.

SB 242084, a selective and brain penetrant 5-HT2C receptor antagonist

SB 242084 has a high affinity (pKi 9.0) for the cloned human 5-HT2C receptor and 100- and 158-fold selectivity over the closely related cloned human 5-HT2B and 5-HT2A subtypes respectively. SB 242084 had over 100-fold selectivity over a range of other 5-HT, dopamine and adrenergic receptors. In studies of 5-HT-stimulated phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis using SH-SY5Y cells stably expressing the cloned human 5-HT2C receptor, SB 242084 acted as an antagonist with a pKb of 9.3, which closely resembled its corresponding receptor binding affinity. SB 242084 potently inhibited m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP, 7 mgkg i.p. 20 min pre-test)-induced hypolocomotion in rats, a model of in vivo central 5-HT2C receptor function, with an ID50 of 0.11 mg/kg i.p., and 2.0 mg/kg p.o. SB 242084 (0.1-1 mg/kg i.p.) exhibited an anxiolytic-like profile in the rat social interaction test, increasing time spent in social interaction, but having no effect on locomotion. SB 242084 (0.1-1 mg/kg i.p.) also markedly increased punished responding in a rat Geller-Seifter conflict test of anxiety, but had no consistent effect on unpunished responding. A large acute dose of SB 242084 (30 mg/kg p.o.) had no effect on seizure susceptibility in the rat maximal electroshock seizure threshold test. Also, while SB 242084 (2 and 6 mg/kg p.o. 1 hr pre-test) antagonized the hypophagic response to mCPP, neither acute nor subchronic administration of the drug, for 5 days at 2 or 6 mg/kg p.o. twice daily, affected food intake or weight gain. The results suggest that SB 242084 is the first reported selective potent and brain penetrant 5-HT2C receptor antagonist and has anxiolytic-like activity, but does not possess either proconvulsant or hyperphagic properties which are characteristic of mutant mice lacking the 5-HT2C receptor.

Effects of the 5-HT2B receptor agonist, BW 723C86, on three rat models of anxiety

1. BW 723C86 (3 and 10 mg kg-1, s.c. 30 min pretest), a 5-HT2B receptor agonist, increased total interaction, but not locomotion in a rat social interaction test, a profile consistent with anxiolysis. 2. The effect of BW 723C86 in the social interaction test is likely to be 5-HT2B receptor-mediated as it was prevented by pretreatment with the 5-HT2C/2B receptor antagonist, SB 200646A, (1 and 2 mg kg-1, p.o., 1 h pretest) which did not affect basal levels of social interaction at the doses used. 3. An anxiolytic-like action was also observed in the rat Geller-Seifter conflict test, where BW 723C86 (0.5-50 mg kg-1, s.c. 30 min pretest) modestly, but significantly increased punished, but not unpublished responding. 4. In a rat 5 min elevated x-maze test, BW 723C86 (1-10 mg kg-1, s.c.) had no significant effect. 5. The maximal anxiolytic-like effect of BW 723C86 approached that of the benzodiazepine anxiolytic, chloradiazepoxide (5 mg kg-1, s.c. 30 min pretest) in the social interaction test, but was markedly less in the Geller-Siefter test. The effect of BW 723C86 was also clearly less than chlordiazepoxide in the elevated x-maze procedure where it had no significant effect. 6. In conclusion, BW 723C86 exerted an appreciable anxiolytic-like profile in a rat social interaction test, but had a weaker effect in the Geller-Siefter and was ineffective in the elevated x-maze test used. These effects are likely to be 5-HT2B receptor-mediated.

In vitro and in vivo profile of SB 206553, a potent 5-HT2C/5-HT2B receptor antagonist with anxiolytic-like properties

1. SB 206553 (5-methyl-1-(3-pyridylcarbamoyl)-1,2,3,5-tetrahydropyrrolo[2 ,3-f]indole) displays a high affinity (pK1 7.9) for the cloned human 5-HT2C receptor expressed in HEK 293 cells and the 5-HT2B receptor (pA2 8.9) as measured in the rat stomach fundus preparation. SB 206553 has low affinity for cloned human 5-HT2A receptors expressed in HEK 293 cells (pK1 5.8) and (pK1 < 6) for a wide variety of other neurotransmitter receptors. 2. SB 206553 appears to be a surmountable antagonist of 5-HT-stimulated phosphoinositide hydrolysis in HEK 293 cells expressing the human 5-HT2C receptor (pKB 9.0). 3. The compound potently (ID50 5.5 mg kg-1, p.o., 0.27 mg kg-1, i.v.) inhibited the hypolocomotor response to m-chlorophenylpiperazine (mCPP), a putative model of 5-HT2C/5-HT2B receptor function in vivo. 4. At similar doses (2-20 mg kg-1, p.o.) SB 206553 increased total interaction scores in a rat social interaction test and increased punished responding in a rat Geller-Seifter conflict test. These effects are consistent with the possession of anxiolytic properties. 5. SB 206553 also increased suppressed responding in a marmoset conflict model of anxiety at somewhat higher doses (15 and 20 mg kg-1, p.o.) but also reduced unsuppressed responding. 6. These results suggest that SB 206553 is a potent mixed 5-HT2C/5-HT2B receptor antagonist with selectivity over the 5-HT2A and all other sites studied and possesses anxiolytic-like properties.

Reye syndrome in Ohio, 1973-1977

Some major epidemiologic features of Reye syndrome have been elucidated since the first description of this clinical entity. Multiple studies have shown an association with epidemic influenza B and endemic varicella. Little population data are available on age, sex, race, geographic distribution, and secular trends. A five-year retrospective population-based study of 190 Ohio residents diagnosed with Reye syndrome from January 1, 1973-December 31, 1977, is reported here. The temporal relationships between the occurrence of Reye syndrome and influenza B and varicella were confirmed; however, a high number of blacks and city dwellers with Reye syndrome were found in this study.