5HT2Aand5HT2BReceptors Contribute to Serotonin-Induced Vascular Dysfunction in Diabetes

Abstract

Although 5HT2A receptors mediate contractions of normal arteries to serotonin (5HT), in some cardiovascular diseases, other receptor subtypes contribute to the marked increase in serotonin contractions. We hypothesized that enhanced contractions of arteries from diabetics to 5HT are mediated by an increased contribution from multiple 5HT receptor subtypes. We compared responses to selective 5HT receptor agonists and expression of 5HT receptor isoforms (5HT1B, 5HT2A, and 5HT2B) in aorta from nondiabetic (ND) compared to type 2 diabetic mice (DB, BKS.Cg-Dock7 m+/+Leprdb/J). 5HT, 5HT2A (TCB2 and BRL54443), and 5HT2B (norfenfluramine and BW723C86) receptor agonists produced concentration-dependent contractions of ND arteries that were markedly increased in DB arteries. Neither ND nor DB arteries contracted to a 5HT1B receptor agonist. MDL11939, a 5HT2A receptor antagonist, and LY272015, a 5HT2B receptor antagonist, reduced contractions of arteries from DB to 5HT more than ND. Expression of 5HT1B, 5HT2A, and 5HT2B receptor subtypes was similar in ND and DB. Inhibition of rho kinase decreased contractions to 5HT and 5HT2A and 5HT2B receptor agonists in ND and DB. We conclude that in contrast to other cardiovascular diseases, enhanced contraction of arteries from diabetics to 5HT is not due to a change in expression of multiple 5HT receptor subtypes.