Involvement of adrenergic and serotonergic receptors in antidepressant-like effect of urocortin 3 in a modified forced swimming test in mice

Abstract

Most of the evidence suggests that peptides in the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) family act on CRF receptors and are involved in depressive disorders. Urocortin 3 (Ucn 3) is specific for CRF type 2 (CRF 2) receptors and mediates anxiolytic-like action. Little is known about the roles of Ucn 3 and CRH 2 receptors on depressive disorders. The previous study revealed that Ucn 3 elicits the antidepressant-like action by shortening the immobility time and increasing both the climbing time and the swimming time. The involvement of the adrenergic and serotonergic receptors in the antidepressant-like effect of Ucn 3 (0.5 μg/2 μl, i.c.v.) was studied in a modified forced swimming test (FST) in mice. Mice were pretreated with a non-selective α-adrenergic receptor antagonist, phenoxybenzamine, an α 1/α 2β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, prazosin, an α 2-adrenergic receptor antagonist, yohimbine, a mixed 5-HT 1/5-HT 2 serotonergic receptor antagonist, methysergide, a non-selective 5-HT 2 serotonergic receptor antagonist, cyproheptadine or a β-adrenergic receptor antagonist, propranolol. Phenoxybenzamine prevented the effects of Ucn 3 on the immobility time. Prazosin prevented the effects of Ucn 3 on the climbing time. Yohimbine prevented the effects of Ucn 3 on the immobility, climbing and swimming times. Methysergide prevented the effects of Ucn 3 on the immobility and climbing time. Cyproheptadine prevented the effects of Ucn 3 on the swimming time. Propranolol did not change the effects of Ucn 3. The results demonstrated that the antidepressant-like effect of Ucn 3 is mediated, at least in part, by an interaction of the α-adrenergic and serotonergic receptors in a modified mouse FST.