Animal pharmacology of raclopride, a selective dopamine D2 antagonist.
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The effects of the selective 5-HT1A receptor agonist (R)-8-hydroxy-2(di-n-propylamino)tetralin [(R)-8-OH-DPAT] and the novel 5-HT1A antagonist (S)-5-fluoro-8-hydroxy-2-(dipropylamino)-tetralin [(S)-UH-301] were studied with regard to the firing pattern of single mesencephalic dopamine (DA) neurons with extracellular recording techniques in chloral hydrate anesthetized male rats. Neuronal activity was studied with respect to firing rate, burst firing and regularity of firing. In the ventral tegmental area (VTA) low doses of (R)-8-OH-DPAT (2-32 micrograms/kg i.v.) caused an increase in all three parameters. The effect on firing rate of DA neurons was more pronounced in the parabrachial pigmentosus nucleus than in the paranigral nucleus, the two major subdivisions of VTA. In the substantia nigra zona compacta (SN-ZC), (R)-8-OH-DPAT (2-256 micrograms/kg i.v.) had no effect on firing rate and regularity of firing and only slightly increased burst firing. High doses of (R)-8-OH-DPAT (512-1024 micrograms/kg i.v.) decreased the activity of DA cells in both areas, an effect that was prevented by pretreatment with the selective DA D2 receptor antagonist raclopride. (S)-UH-301 (100-800 micrograms/kg i.v.) decreased both firing rate and burst firing without affecting regularity of DA neurons in the VTA. In the SN-ZC, (S)-UH-301 decreased the firing rate but failed to affect burst firing and regularity of firing. These effects of (S)-UH-301 were blocked by raclopride pretreatment. Local application by pneumatic ejection of 8-OH-DPAT excited the DA cells in both the VTA and the SN-ZC, whereas (S)-UH-301 inhibited these cells when given locally. These results show that 5-HT1A receptor related compounds differentially affect the electrophysiological activity of central DA neurons. The DA receptor agonistic properties of these compound appear to contribute to the inhibitory effects of high doses of (R)-8-OH-DPAT and (S)-UH-301 on DA neuronal activity. Given the potential use of 5-HT1A receptor selective compounds in the treatment of anxiety and depression their effects on central DA systems involved in mood regulation and reward related processes are of considerable importance.
The kinetic properties of the accumulation of 3H-raclopride, a selective dopamine (DA) D-2 receptor antagonist, in mouse striatum in vivo was examined under various experimental conditions. The accumulation in striatum was saturable in contrast to that in cerebellum, which linearily increased with the dose. The specific binding of 3H-raclopride in the striatum, defined as the difference in the accumulation in striatum and cerebellum 30 min after the injection was completely inhibited by the D-2 receptor antagonists spiperone and (+)-butaclamol [but not (-)-butaclamol] and the DA receptor agonist N-n-propylnorapomorphine. The mean Bmax value of the specific binding was 40.7 +/- 2.8 pmol/g tissue and the mean apparent KD value, based on the dose injected, was 87.8 +/- 11.5 nmol/kg i.v. (18 different experiments). Pretreatment of the mice with a single injection of reserpine 4 h or 3 days beforehand reduced the apparent KD value which in part seemed to be due to the decreased concentration of synaptic DA. Similarly, gamma-butyrolactone injected immediately before raclopride reduced the apparent KD value, whereas amfonelic acid and (-)-amphetamine increased the observed KD values. These findings indicate competition between endogenous DA and raclopride for the D-2 receptors. Both reserpine and gamma-butyrolactone increased the apparent Bmax value by about 50% which indicates a receptor pool of DA for which raclopride does not compete.
Most antipsychotic drugs are, in addition to being dopamine (DA) D2 receptor antagonists, also relatively potent alpha 1 adrenoceptor antagonists. Here, we have studied the effects of the selective DA D2 receptor antagonist raclopride, alone and in combination with the selective alpha 1 adrenoceptor antagonist, prazosin, on midbrain DA neurons utilizing extracellular single cell recording techniques. As a reference compound, haloperidol (0.05-1.6 mg/kg, i.v.), a potent antagonist at both DA D2 receptors and alpha 1 adrenoceptors, was included in the electrophysiological part of the study. In addition, in vivo voltammetry was used to measure extracellular DA concentrations in the nucleus accumbens (NAC) and the dorsolateral striatum (STR) in anesthetized, pargyline pretreated rats treated with the above drugs. Raclopride (10-5120 micrograms/kg, i.v.) induced a dose dependent increase in firing rate of DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA), that was significant already at 10 micrograms/kg, and in the substantia nigra-zone compacta (SN-ZC), that reached significance at 2560 micrograms/kg. Burst firing of DA neurons was also increased in the VTA at 40 micrograms/kg, as well as in the SN-ZC at 640 micrograms/kg. A low dose of raclopride (80 micrograms/kg, cumulated dose) induced a significant increase in extracellular DA concentrations in NAC to 490% and in STR to 220%. A high dose of raclopride (2560 micrograms/kg, cumulated dose) induced a 930% increase in extracellular DA concentrations in NAC, but only a 280% increase in STR. These data demonstrate that raclopride exerts a relatively selective action on mesolimbic DA neurons. Prazosin (0.3 mg/kg, i.v.) decreased burst firing of VTA, but not SN-ZC DA neurons.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The ability of the dopamine receptor antagonists haloperidol, raclopride and remoxipride to prevent the B-HT 920-induced decrease in striatal and limbic L-DOPA accumulation in gamma-butyrolactone (GBL)- and NSD 1015-treated rats (termed 'GBL-reversal') was used to define the effects of these compounds on "presynaptic" dopamine receptors. The doses of the dopamine antagonists producing antagonism of GBL-reversal were in each case roughly similar to the doses required to increase dopamine turnover in striatal and limbic areas. The potencies of haloperidol, raclopride and remoxipride in the GBL model were compared with their potencies in behavioural models for postsynaptic dopamine receptors. Haloperidol produced antagonism of GBL-reversal over a similar dose range to that required for antagonism of apomorphine-induced hyperactivity and stereotypy syndromes. Raclopride was effective in the order of potency: antagonism of apomorphine-induced hyperactivity greater than antagonism of GBL-reversal greater than antagonism of apomorphine-induced stereotypy. For remoxipride, the dose-response curve for antagonism of GBL-reversal was superimposable over that for antagonism of apomorphine-induced stereotypies, with an ED50 value about 12 times higher than that for antagonism of apomorphine-induced hyperactivity. Thus, the relative potencies of dopamine receptor antagonists at "pre-" and postsynaptic dopamine receptors vary considerably from compound to compound.
The atypical profile of clozapine and some other new antipsychotic drugs has been attributed to a relatively selective effect on the mesolimbic dopaminergic system, as well as to their potent serotonin 5-HT2 receptor antagonism and high ratio of 5-HT2 to dopamine D2 receptor affinities. It is unclear, however, how concurrent 5-HT2 and D2 receptor antagonism specifically affects the mesoaccumbens and the mesocortical dopaminergic systems. The present study examined the effect of pretreatment with the 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, ritanserin, on changes in midbrain dopamine neuronal activity as well as in forebrain, extracellular concentrations of dopamine, induced by relatively low doses of the D2 receptor antagonist raclopride, utilizing in vivo extracellular single cell recording techniques and voltammetry in anesthetized rats, as well as microdialysis in freely moving rats. Raclopride alone (10-2560 microgram/kg, i.v.) induced a dose-dependent increase in three parameters of neuronal activity, i.e. burst firing, firing rate and variation coefficient, of midbrain DA neurons. This effect of raclopride was more pronounced in cells of the ventral tegmental area than in cells of the substantia nigra-zona compacta. Ritanserin alone (1.0 mg/kg, i.v.) also increased all three parameters of neuronal activity in dopamine cells of the ventral tegmental area, but only firing rate in the cells of the substantia nigra. Ritanserin pretreatment (30 min) significantly enhanced the stimulatory effects of low doses of raclopride (10-20 micrograms/kg, s.c.) increased extracellular concentrations of dopamine in the medial prefrontal cortex and the dorsolateral striatum by 75 and 110%, respectively, as measured by microdialysis. Ritanserin alone (1.5 mg/kg, s.c.) did not significantly affect cortical and striatal extracellular dopamine concentrations; however, pretreatment (40 min) with ritanserin elevated the raclopride-induced increase of dopamine concentrations in the medial prefrontal cortex of about 250%, but failed to affect the action of raclopride on striatal dopamine levels. Raclopride alone (10 and 320 micrograms/kg, i.v.) dose-dependently increased extracellular concentrations of dopamine in the nucleus accumbens and the dorsolateral striatum to about 500%, as determined by voltammetry. Ritanserin alone (1.0 mg/kg, i.v.) did not significantly affect the voltammetric dopamine signal in the nucleus accumbens or the dorsolateral striatum; however, ritanserin pretreatment (30 min) enhanced the raclopride-induced increase in accumbal but not striatal dopamine concentrations to about 1600%. The stimulatory effect of the combined ritanserin plus raclopride treatment on neuronal activity and DA release was more pronounced in the mesolimbic than the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. The present data indicate that concurrent 5-HT2 and D2 receptor antagonism selectively affects the activity of the mesolimbic dopaminergic system. These findings provide an experimental basis for the notion that combined 5-HT2 and D2 receptor antagonism may underlie the limbic mode of action of at least some atypical antipsychotic drugs and consequently contribute to their unique therapeutic effects.
The effect of the D2-antagonist raclopride was investigated in two test situations, which are presumed to involve dopamine (DA) transmission within the nucleus accumbens of the rat. Local injection of d-amphetamine sulphate (10 micrograms/0.5 microliter) produced a marked increase in motor activity, measured as motility, locomotion, and rearing, which was dose- and time-dependently antagonised by local injection of raclopride (0.05-5.0 micrograms/0.5 microliter). After an initial decrease, at low doses (0.05-0.25 microgram/0.5 microliter) an apparent enhancement of the d-amphetamine-induced motor activity appeared, which was most clearly seen with rearing. These lower doses, however, did not induce any clear changes in the exploratory activity in a novel environment (i.e., the second test situation). Only the higher doses used (1.0-5.0 micrograms/0.5 microliter) decreased exploratory activity during the first 5-10 min, also measured as motility, locomotion, and rearing. These data are discussed with respect to the role of D2-receptors within the nucleus accumbens of rats in the motor activity induced by a novel environment and d-amphetamine. Overall, the data underline previous notions that raclopride is a potent antagonist of DA-mediated behaviour.
The actions on central dopamine (DA) mechanisms of raclopride, a new substituted benzamide, were studied by means of behavioural and biochemical methods in the rat. Raclopride blocked the in vitro binding of the dopamine D2 antagonist 3H-spiperone (IC50 = 32 nM), but not of the unselective D1 antagonist 3H-flupenthixol (IC50 greater than 100,000 nM) in rat striatum, and failed to inhibit striatal DA-sensitive adenylate cyclase in vitro (IC50 greater than 100,000 nM). Raclopride caused a dose-dependent increase in the DA metabolites HVA and DOPAC in the striatum and olfactory tubercle. Behavioural studies showed that raclopride discriminates between the motor behaviours induced by the DA agonist apomorphine. Thus, unlike haloperidol, raclopride blocked apomorphine-induced hyperactivity at considerably lower doses than those inhibiting oral stereotypies. Moreover, raclopride showed a high separation between the doses for blockade of apomorphine-induced hyperactivity and those inducing catalepsy in rats. Raclopride caused a dose-dependent blockade of the specific binding of 3H-spiperone and 3H-N-n-propylnorapomorphine (3H-NPA) in vivo at doses similar to those blocking the behavioural effects of apomorphine. The maximal blockade of 3H-spiperone binding in vivo was lower for raclopride than for haloperidol. Raclopride caused a greater inhibition of 3H-NPA than of 3H-spiperone in vivo binding in the striatum. It is suggested that the ability of raclopride to discriminate between different DA-mediated functions may be attributed to a preferential blockade of a subclass of functionally coupled dopamine D2 receptors in striatal as well as in extrastriatal brain regions in the rat.
Tracer doses of 11C-SCH 23390 and 11C-raclopride, selective D1-dopamine and D2-dopamine receptor antagonists, respectively, were injected intravenously into three healthy male volunteers and two drug-treated schizophrenic patients. Regional radioactivity in brain and plasma was followed during 1 h by positron emission tomography (PET). After injection of both ligands a high accumulation of radioactivity was observed in the dopamine-rich caudate putamen. Experiments with 11C-SCH 23390, but not 11C-raclopride, showed a conspicuous accumulation of radioactivity also in the neocortex. None of the ligands accumulated in the dopamine-poor cerebellum. Specific binding of 11C-raclopride in the putamen was reduced by more than 80% in schizophrenic patients treated with antipsychotic doses of sulpiride or cis(Z)-flupentixol decanoate. 11C-SCH 23390 binding was slightly reduced in both the cortex and the putamen after treatment with cis(Z)-flupentixol decanoate but not after sulpiride. The results indicate that clinical antipsychotic drug treatment with sulpiride and cis(Z)-flupentixol decanoate causes a substantial blockade of D2-dopamine receptors in the basal ganglia but has only a minor effect on D1-dopamine receptors.
The selective D2-dopamine receptor antagonist raclopride and its pharmacologically inactive (R)-enantiomer FLB472 were labelled with 11C and used in a study with positron emission tomography to examine the stereoselectivity of 11C-raclopride binding to central D2-dopamine receptors in three healthy men. After the injection of 11C-raclopride, there was a high accumulation of radioactivity in the dopamine-rich basal ganglia, whereas after the injection of 11C-FLB472 there was no such accumulation of radioactivity. Thus, the binding of 11C-raclopride is stereoselective. Distribution ratios [radioactivity in a brain region/"free" (not protein-bound) radioactivity in plasma] were calculated for the two enantiomers to study regional differences in the accumulation of radioactivity. The distribution ratios in white matter were similar for the two enantiomers. In the putamen, a three to four-fold higher distribution ratio was found for 11C-raclopride than for 11C-FLB472, reflecting the presence of specific binding of 11C-raclopride binding to D2-dopamine receptors in the basal ganglia. In the temporal and frontal cortices the distribution ratios were, however, only a few per cent higher for 11C-raclopride than for 11C-FLB472, indicating that if D2-dopamine receptors are present in the human neocortex, then their density is indeed very low.
In rabbit reticulocytes more than half of the total hexokinase activity is mitochondrial bound and shows a fast decay during reticulocyte maturation. During in vitro incubation of rabbit reticulocytes, Ca2+ increases the decay of hexokinase while salicylhydroxamate (SHAM), an inhibitor of lipoxygenase, reduces the decay. Swelling of mitochondria, by incubation of the cells in hypotonic solutions, greatly enhances hexokinase decay, but both the Ca2+ and SHAM are still appreciable suggesting that Ca2+ and the swelling act by additive mechanisms, both able to influence hexokinase decay. This was confirmed by incubation of rabbit brain mitochondria in hypotonic solutions which does not promote any hexokinase decay, while the presence of Ca2+ does. Analyses of hexokinase isozymic pattern after incubation of reticulocytes in hypotonic solution both with and without Ca2+ and SHAM showed that the decay of hexokinase mainly involves the mitochrondrial bound isozymic forms.
The extent and duration of striatal dopamine-D2 receptor occupancy by savoxepine in humans has been studied using positron emission tomography with [11C]-raclopride, in order to investigate why the anticipated favourable ratio between its extrapyramidal and antipsychotic effects was not achieved in practice. After 0.25 mg savoxepine, striatal D2 receptor occupancy peaked at 50-60% after 24-36 h and disappeared within 6 days. After doses of 0.1 mg to 0.5 mg, D2 receptor occupancy in the putamen and caudate nucleus increased from 20 to 70% 3-7 h after administration and amounted to 40 to 75% at the peak time (20-29 h). This suggests that cumulative D2 receptor blockade would occur if equal or increasing doses of savoxepine were given repeatedly. Extrapyramidal adverse-effects would be likely to occur under such circumstances. An adequate test of the theory that preference for hippocampal dopamine D2 receptors with afford a good therapeutic ratio requires an alternative dosing regimen.
Two experiments were carried out to assess the effects of nitroxynil (10 mg/kg p.o.) and rafoxanide (6.7 mg/kg p.o.) against 2,4, 6 or 8 weeks old F. hepatica in rabbits. The results show that the efficacy and incidence of stunted and abnormal surviving flukes were directly related to the age of infection at treatment. Rafoxanide was the more potent compound against immature forms. The testes were the most consistently abnormal reproductive organs in flukes surviving treatment with both drugs and spermatogenesis per se was disrupted.
Hansenula saturnus is a petite-negative yeast species which displays a different pattern of respiration depending on the age of the cultures. The respiration is sensitive to antimycin A (AA) in the early exponential phase, is sensitive to the simultaneous addition of AA and salicylhydroxamic acid (SHAM) in the middle exponential phase and is sensitive to SHAM in the late exponential and stationary phase. The three respiratory activities are all associated to the mitochondrial fraction. The presence of AA in the growth medium determines the induction of the AA + SHAM-insensitive respiration which is 50% inhibited by 5 mM azide. On the contrary, the presence of erythromycin in the growth medium, which inhibits mitochondrial protein synthesis in this yeast species and the synthesis of cytochromes aa3 and b, totally prevents the appearance of AA + SHAM-insensitive respiration. Moreover, the antibiotic affects cell viability, suggesting a role of the mitochondrial protein synthesis in the cell cycle of H. saturnus.
Changes in both respiratory pathways and mitochondrial structure of Neurospora crassa occurred under conditions of microcycle conidiation. Upon heat-treatment at 46 degrees C, conidia developed a highly cyanide-insensitive, hydroxamate-sensitive respiration associated with morphological alterations in mitochondrial membranes; such changes were time-dependent. When heat-treated conidia were shifted down to 25 degrees C, the alternate, hydroxamate-sensitive respiration decreased significantly, paralleling the recovery of well-cristated mitochondria with an electron-dense matrix in the germ tubes. The decrease in hydroxamate-sensitivity was associated with two periods of increase in cyanide sensitivity corresponding to the events of germination and precocious proconidial budding.
By using cytochrome-deficient mutants of Schwanniomyces castellii found previously, we measured the inhibition constants of azide and SHAM-alone or combined-for the different oxidative pathways, in order to determine the more suitable concentrations of inhibitors. This allowed us to measure the real capacity of each pathway. We calculated their affinity for oxygen, and determined that O2 was preferencially reduced by the cytochromic pathway, then by the SHAM-sensitive pathway, and finally by the SHAM+AA-insensitive pathway.
The effect of various compounds on growth, melanin biosynthesis and cell differentiation was studied in a hyaline (SH25) and a pigmented (SH25B) strain of Microdochium bolleyi. Dark pigment production by the hyaline strain was induced by the presence of DOPA and indole in the medium, both of which are intermediates in the tyrosine pathway of melanin biosynthesis. These substrates also induced conidia and chlamydospore production, structures which were not normally seen in the hyaline strain. The systemic fungicide, tricyclazole, inhibited melanin synthesis in the pigmented strain but not the development of chlamydospore-like cell structures.