Abstract

In the present experiments we have investigated the possible coupling of 5-hydroxytryptamine (HT)3 receptors to the metabolism of phosphatidylinositol (PI) in the rat fronto-cingulate and entorhinal cortices, two brain regions with relatively high density of this receptor subtype. 5-HT dose-dependently increases PI turnover (20-80% increase above basal stimulation), with an EC50 of 0.5 and 0.3 microM for fronto-cingulate and entorhinal cortices, respectively. This effect was blocked by the selective 5-HT3 antagonists, BRL 43694 (granisetron), GR 38032F (ondansetron) and ICS 205-930. The selective 5-HT3 receptor agonists, 2-methyl-serotonin (2-Me-5-HT) and phenylbiguanide (PBG), mimicked the action of 5-HT and dose-dependently produced a significant increase in PI turnover (46-76% of the 5-HT response). The stimulatory action of 2-Me-5-HT and phenylbiguanide was blocked completely by granisetron, ondansetron and ICS 205-930 but not by other receptor antagonists such as (+/-)-pindolol (a beta, 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor antagonist), methy-sergide (a 5-HT1 and 5-HT2 receptor antagonist), ritanserin (a 5-HT1C and 5-HT2 receptor antagonist), SR 95103 (gamma-aminobutyric acidA receptor antagonist), scopolamine (a muscarinic antagonist), (-)-eticlopride (a D2 receptor antagonist), SCH 23390 (a D1 5-HT2/1C receptor antagonist) and prazosin (an alpha-1 receptor antagonist). In addition, the stimulation of PI turnover by 2-Me-5-HT was antagonized stereospecifically by the 5-HT3 receptor blocker zacopride. Thus, only the active enantiomer (S)-zacopride, but not the less active enantiomer (R)-zacopride, was effective in blocking the 2-Me-5-HT-induced effect.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)