The effects of nitric oxide on striatal serotoninergic transmission involve multiple targets: an in vivo microdialysis study in the awake rat
Abstract The role of endogenous nitric oxide (NO) in N -methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA)-induced modulation of serotonin (5-HT) release in the striatum of freely moving rats has been studied using microdialysis technique. NMDA-induced increase in 5-HT release was significantly inhibited by selective nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitor S -methylthiocitrulline (S-Me-TC), ONOO − scavenger l -cysteine ( l -cys), and guanylate cyclase (GC) inhibitor 1 H [1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3- a ]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ). These data suggest that modulation of 5-HT levels is linked to the formation of NO produced by NMDA receptor activation and that endogenously produced NO increases 5-HT concentrations both by stimul…
Prenatal exposure to the CB1 receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 causes learning disruption associated with impaired cortical NMDA receptor function and emotional reactivity changes in rat offspring
The aim of this study was to investigate whether prenatal exposure to the cannabinoid CB1 receptor agonist WIN 55,212-2 (WIN) at a daily dose devoid of overt signs of toxicity and/or gross malformations (0.5 mg/kg, gestation days 5-20), influences cortical glutamatergic neurotransmission, learning and emotional reactivity in rat offspring. Basal and K+-evoked extracellular glutamate levels were significantly lower in cortical cell cultures obtained from pups exposed to WIN during gestation with respect to those measured in cultures obtained from neonates born from vehicle-treated dams. The addition of NMDA to cortical cell cultures from neonates born from vehicle-treated dams concentration-…
Preclinical progress with CHF2819, a novel orally active acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
(-)-(3aS,8aS,1S)-1,2,3,3a,8,8a-hexahydro-1,3a,8-trimethylpyrrolo[2,3-b]indol-5-ol-2′-ethylphenylcarbamate N-oxide hydrochloride (CHF2819) is a novel, orally active acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) for Alzheimer's disease (AD). CHF2819 appears as a selective inhibitor of AChE, being 115 times more potent against this enzyme than butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). Moreover, CHF2819 appears more selective for inhibiting central (brain) than peripheral (heart) AChE. In vivo studies show that CHF2819 significantly increases acetylcholine (ACh) levels in young adult rat hippocampus in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, aged animals exhibit a marked increase in hippocampal concentrations of this…
Prenatal low-level exposure to CO alters postnatal development of hippocampal nitric oxide synthase and haem-oxygenase activities in rats.
The effects of prenatal CO exposure (150 ppm from days 0 to 20 of pregnancy) on the postnatal development of hippocampal neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) and haem-oxygenase (HO-2) isoform activities in 15-, 30- and 90-d-old rats were investigated. Unlike HO-2, hippocampal nNOS activity increased from postnatal days 15-90 in controls. Prenatal CO produced a long-lasting decrease in either nNOS or HO-2. The results suggest that the altered developmental profile of hippocampal nNOS and HO-2 activities could be involved in cognitive deficits and long-term potentiation dysfunction exhibited by rats prenatally exposed to CO levels resulting in carboxyhaemoglobin (HbCO) levels equivalent to those obser…
CHF2819: Pharmacological profile of a novel acetylcholinesterase inhibitor
CHF2819 is a novel orally active acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (AChEI) developed for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). CHF2819 is a selective inhibitor of AChE, it is 115 times more potent against this enzyme than against butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE). Moreover, CHF2819 is more selective for inhibition of central (brain) AChE than peripheral (heart) AChE. In vivo CHF2819, 0.5, 1.5, and 4.5 mg/kg p.o., significantly and in dose-dependent manner increased acetylcholine (ACh) levels in hippocampus of young adult rats. Moreover, aging animals, with lower basal ACh levels than young adult rats, also exhibit a marked increase in hippocampal levels of this neurotransmitter after administ…
Postnatal Antioxidant and Anti-inflammatory Treatments Prevent Early Ketamine-Induced Cortical Dysfunctions in Adult Mice
Early brain insult, interfering with its maturation, may result in psychotic-like disturbances in adult life. Redox dysfunctions and neuroinflammation contribute to long-term psychiatric consequences due to neurodevelopmental abnormalities. Here, we investigated the effects of early pharmacological modulation of the redox and inflammatory states, through celastrol, and indomethacin administration, on reactive oxygen species (ROS) amount, levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase 1, SOD1, glutathione, GSH, and catalase, CAT), as well as of pro-inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor-alpha, TNF-α, interleukin-6, IL-6, and interleukin-1 beta, IL-1β), i…
Long-term effects on cortical glutamate release induced by prenatal exposure to the cannabinoid receptor agonist (r)-(+)-[2,3-dihydro-5-methyl-3-(4-morpholinyl-methyl)pyrrolo[1,2,3-de]-1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl]-1-naphthalenylmethanone: an in vivo microdialysis study in the awake rat
The aim of the present in vivo microdialysis study was to investigate whether prenatal exposure to the CB1 receptor agonist WIN55,212-2 mesylate (WIN; (R)-()-(2,3- dihydro-5-methyl-3-(4-morpholinyl-methyl)pyrrolo(1,2,3-de)- 1,4-benzoxazin-6-yl)-1-naphthalenylmethanone), at a dose of 0.5 mg/kg (s.c. from the fifth to the 20th day of gestation), that causes neither malformations nor overt signs of toxicity, influences cortical glutamate extracellular levels in adult (90- day old) rats. Dam weight gain, pregnancy length and litter size at birth were not significantly affected by prenatal treatment with WIN. Basal and K-evoked dialysate glutamate levels were lower in the cerebral cortex of adul…