RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Use of Intravenous Microdialysis to Monitor Changes in Serotonin Release and Metabolism Induced by Cisplatin in Cancer Patients: Comparative Effects of Granisetron and Ondansetron JF Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics JO J Pharmacol Exp Ther FD American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics SP 960 OP 966 VO 291 IS 3 A1 Ana M. Castejon A1 Ximena Paez A1 Luis Hernandez A1 Luigi X. Cubeddu YR 1999 UL http://jpet.aspetjournals.org/content/291/3/960.abstract AB Serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] is involved in the production of emesis associated with cisplatin treatment. Serotonin released from intestinal enterochromaffin cells may act either directly on vagal afferents and/or pass to the circulation and stimulate central emetic centers. However, the role for circulating 5-HT has not been determined. In this study, i.v. microdialysis probes were used to investigate 1) cisplatin-induced changes in 5-HT release and metabolism assessed through changes in blood dialysate levels of 5-HT and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5-HIAA), 2) whether free 5-HT in blood increases after cisplatin, and 3) whether granisetron and ondansetron exert different effects on cisplatin-induced 5-HT release and metabolism. Control experiments conducted in 10 healthy volunteers revealed stable 5-HT and 5-HIAA dialysate levels for a period of 6 h. In patients with cancer (n = 16), baseline blood dialysate 5-HIAA concentrations averaged 2.98 ± 0.38 ng/ml, which were equivalent to a total of 94 ± 10 pg in the 30-min collection period at a flow rate of 1 μl/min. Cisplatin (89 ± 2.9 mg of cisplatin/m2) produced a gradual increase in blood dialysate 5-HIAA levels (104 ± 4% increase at 4 h). Increases in dialysate 5-HIAA were associated with increases in the urinary excretion of this metabolite. After cisplatin, dialysate 5-HIAA levels increased to 5.89 ± 0.5 ng/ml in granisetron and to 5.27 ± 0.9 ng/ml in ondansetron-treated patients (P > .1). Similar time courses and percentages of increase in blood dialysate and urinary 5-HIAA levels were observed in ondansetron- and granisetron-treated patients. Contrary to 5-HIAA, no significant increases in dialysate 5-HT were observed from 2 to 8 h after cisplatin either for the total group or for each of the groups separately. In conclusion, i.v. microdialysis probes coupled to HPLC-EC allowed the continuos monitoring of free-5-HT and 5-HIAA in blood. Cisplatin-induced increases in blood 5-HIAA were not associated with increases in 5-HT blood dialysates. These results argue against a possible action of free 5-HT in plasma on the chemoreceptor trigger zone (unprotected from the blood brain barrier) but support the view that 5-HT released within the intestinal wall triggers emesis after cisplatin. Our results argue against the view that at clinically effective doses, granisetron and ondansetron exert different actions on cisplatin-induced 5-HT release and metabolism. The American Society for Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics