5-HT7 Receptor Knockout Mice Research Articles

Effects of 5-HT7 receptor antagonists on behaviors of mice that detect drugs used in the treatment of anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia

5-HT7 receptors have been suggested to play a role in the regulation of psychiatric disorders. The experimental literature however is not fully consistent on this possibility. Two selective 5-HT7 receptor antagonists, DR-4004 and SB-269970, were evaluated in mouse models used to detect drugs used to treat anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia. A 5-HT-induced hypothermia assay was used to define the doses of DR-4004 and SB-269970 predicted to impact 5-HT7 receptors in the brain in vivo. 5-HT produced hypothermia in wildtype mice by either i.p. or i.c.v. routes but did not in 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice. 5-HT-induced hypothermia was not attenuated by drugs selectively blocking alpha1 or 5-HT1A receptors. Doses of DR-4004 and SB-269970 that blocked 5-HT-induced hypothermia, did not display significant anxiolytic-like (elevated plus maze; vogel conflict) or antidepressant-like efficacy (tail-suspension test) in mouse models. These compounds did demonstrate some antipsychotic-like properties in the PCP-induced hyperactivity assay and anxiolytic/anti-stress effects in the stress-induced cGMP assay. Negative findings were substantiated by positive control drugs that were active in each assay system. We conclude that 5-HT-induced hypothermia can be used to estimate blockade of central 5-HT7 receptors. Effects of DR-4004 and SB-269970 in animal models are generally consistent with the experimental literature that the evidence is mixed or not robust regarding the potential efficacy of 5-HT7 receptor antagonism in the treatment of anxiety, depression, or schizophrenia.

Serotonin controls initiation of locomotion and afferent modulation of coordination via 5-HT7 receptors in adult rats.

Experiments on neonatal rodent spinal cord showed that serotonin (5-HT), acting via 5-HT7 receptors, is required for initiation of locomotion and for controlling the action of interneurons responsible for inter- and intralimb coordination, but the importance of the 5-HT system in adult locomotion is not clear. Blockade of spinal 5-HT7 receptors interfered with voluntary locomotion in adult rats and fictive locomotion in paralysed decerebrate rats with no afferent feedback, consistent with a requirement for activation of descending 5-HT neurons for production of locomotion. The direct control of coordinating interneurons by 5-HT7 receptors observed in neonatal animals was not found during fictive locomotion, revealing a developmental shift from direct control of locomotor interneurons in neonates to control of afferent input from the moving limb in adults. An understanding of the afferents controlled by 5-HT during locomotion is required for optimal use of rehabilitation therapies involving the use of serotonergic drugs. Serotonergic pathways to the spinal cord are implicated in the control of locomotion based on studies using serotonin type 7 (5-HT7 ) receptor agonists and antagonists and 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice. Blockade of these receptors is thought to interfere with the activity of coordinating interneurons, a conclusion derived primarily from in vitro studies on isolated spinal cord of neonatal rats and mice. Developmental changes in the effects of serotonin (5-HT) on spinal neurons have recently been described, and there is increasing data on control of sensory input by 5-HT7 receptors on dorsal root ganglion cells and/or dorsal horn neurons, leading us to determine the effects of 5-HT7 receptor blockade on voluntary overground locomotion and on locomotion without afferent input from the moving limb (fictive locomotion) in adult animals. Intrathecal injections of the selective 5-HT7 antagonist SB269970 in adult intact rats suppressed locomotion by partial paralysis of hindlimbs. This occurred without a direct effect on motoneurons as revealed by an investigation of reflex activity. The antagonist disrupted intra- and interlimb coordination during locomotion in all intact animals but not during fictive locomotion induced by stimulation of the mesencephalic locomotor region (MLR). MLR-evoked fictive locomotion was transiently blocked, then the amplitude and frequency of rhythmic activity were reduced by SB269970, consistent with the notion that the MLR activates 5-HT neurons, leading to excitation of central pattern generator neurons with 5-HT7 receptors. Effects on coordination in adults required the presence of afferent input, suggesting a switch to 5-HT7 receptor-mediated control of sensory pathways during development.

The role of serotonin 5-HT7 receptor in regulating sleep and wakefulness

Different approaches have been followed to characterize the role of 5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) receptor 7 (5-HT7) in the regulation of sleep-wake behavior: (1) 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice spend less time in rapid eye movement sleep than their wild-type counterparts, mainly during the light period. In contrast, there is no difference between the genotypes in time spent in wakefulness or slow-wave sleep. (2) Systemic administration of the selective 5-HT7 receptor agonist LP-211 significantly increased wakefulness (time spent awake) and reduced rapid eye movement sleep in the rat. Direct infusion of LP-211 into the dorsal raphe nucleus, locus coeruleus nucleus, basal forebrain (horizontal limb of the diagonal band of Broca), or laterodorsal tegmental nucleus also produced a decrease in rapid eye movement sleep. Additionally, microinjection of the 5-HT7 receptor agonist into the basal forebrain augmented the time animals remained awake. Local injection of the 5-HT7 receptor agonist LP-44 into the dorsal raphe nucleus also suppressed rapid eye movement sleep in the rat. (3) A similar reduction of rapid eye movement sleep has been described following intraperitoneal injection of the selective 5-HT7 receptor antagonists SB-269970 and SB-656104 in the rat and oral administration of the 5-HT7 receptor antagonist NJ-18038683 to rat and man. Local microinjection of SB-269970 into the dorsal raphe nucleus and basal forebrain also induced a decrease in rapid eye movement sleep in the rat. This tends to suggest that the on-off (activation/blockade), two-state ligand-receptor interaction model is not tenable for the 5-HT7 receptor.

Assessment of 5-HT7Receptor Agonists Selectivity Using Nociceptive and Thermoregulation Tests in Knockout versus Wild-Type Mice

No study has ever examined the effect of 5-HT7 receptor agonists on nociception by using 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice. Basal sensitivity to noxious heat stimuli and formalin-induced nociception in both phase I and II of the formalin test did not differ in 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice and paired wild-type controls. Similarly, there was no significant difference in basal body temperature between both genotypes. Subcutaneous administration of 5-HT7 receptor agonists AS-19 (10 mg/kg), E-57431 (10 mg/kg), and E-55888 (20 mg/kg) significantly reduced formalin-induced licking/biting behavior during the phase II of the test in wild-type but not in 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice. At these active analgesic doses, none of the three 5-HT7 receptor agonists modified the basal body temperature neither in wild-type nor in 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice. However, a significant decrease in body temperature was observed at a higher dose (20 mg/kg) of AS-19 and E-57431 in both genotypes. Our data strongly suggest that the 5-HT7 receptor agonists AS-19, E-57431, and E-55888 produce antinociception in the formalin test by activating 5-HT7 receptors. These results also strengthen the idea that the 5-HT7 receptor plays a role in thermoregulation, but by acting in concert with other receptors.

Influence of Interleukin-13 in 5-HT Synthesis and Severity of Experimental Colitis

BACKGROUND: Mucosal inflammation in conditions ranging from infective acute enteritis or colitis to inflammatory bowel disease is accompanied by alteration in serotonin (5hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT) content in the gut. In our previous studies, we have shown that 5-HT plays an important role in the pathogenesis of experimental colitis. Dendritic cells (DC) are important innate immune cells and play a key role in the activation of the immune response and generation of gut inflammation. DCs express the 5-HT7 receptor, and we have recently demonstrated that 5-HT plays an important role in DC activation in relation to gut inflammation. In this study, we have evaluated the effect of inhibiting 5-HT signaling by using a 5-HT7 receptor antagonist or 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice in experimental colitis. METHODS: Mice (C57BL/6) were treated with selective 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB266970 (40mg/kg, ip) or vehicle (saline) starting one day prior to administration of 5% dextran sulfate sodium (DSS) in drinking water and were sacrificed on day 5 post-DSS to assess the extent of colitis, myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Colitis was also induced in 5-HT7 receptor deficient mice on C57BL/6 background (5HT7KO) and wild type mice either by 5% DSS or intrarectal administration of dinitrobenzene sulfonic acid (DNBS, 5mg/mouse) and were sacrificed on day 5 post-DSS and day 3 postDNBS to assess the extent of colitis, MPO activity and pro-inflammatory cytokines. RESULTS: Inhibition of 5-HT signaling by blocking 5-HT7 receptor function with a 5-HT7 antagonist ameliorated DSS-induced colitis. Compared to saline treated mice, we observed significantly lower macroscopic (4.0±0.28 vs. 2.6±0.43) and histological damage scores (4.8±0.59 vs. 2.4±0.54) in antagonist treated mice on day 5 post-DSS. This was associated with downregulation of MPO activity (16.9±0.88 vs. 12.32±1.21, P<0.05) and lower production of IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6 (P<0.05) post-DSS. There were also significantly lower histological scores, MPO and pro-inflammatory cytokine levels in 5-HT7KOmice as compared to controls post-DSS. DCs isolated from 5-HT7KO mice post-DSS produced lower levels of IL-12 and IL-1β when stimulated with LPS as compared to wild-type mice (P<0.05). We also observed significant reduction in severity of colitis in 5-HT7KO mice following induction of DNBScolitis. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that disruption of 5-HT7 receptor function reduces the severity of gut inflammation and identifies a key role of 5-HT7 receptor mediated signaling in the pathogenesis of experimental colitis. These observations provide us with novel information on the role of the 5-HT7 receptor in gut inflammation and highlight the potential benefit of targeting this receptor to alleviate disease severity in intestinal inflammatory conditions including inflammatory bowel disease.

Role of the 5-HT7 Receptor in the Central Nervous System: from Current Status to Future Perspectives

Pharmacological and genetic tools targeting the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)7 receptor in preclinical animal models have implicated this receptor in diverse (patho)physiological processes of the central nervous system (CNS). Some data obtained with 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice, selective antagonists, and, to a lesser extent, agonists, however, are quite contradictory. In this review, we not only discuss in detail the role of the 5-HT7 receptor in the CNS but also propose some hypothetical models, which could explain the observed inconsistencies. These models are based on two novel concepts within the field of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR), namely biphasic signaling and G protein-independent signaling, which both have been shown to be mediated by GPCR dimerization. This led us to suggest that the 5-HT7 receptor could reside in different dimeric contexts and initiate different signaling pathways, depending on the neuronal circuitry and/or brain region. In conclusion, we highlight GPCR dimerization and G protein-independent signaling as two promising future directions in 5-HT7 receptor research, which ultimately might lead to the development of more efficient dimer- and/or pathway-specific therapeutics.

Spinal 5-HT7 Receptors Are Critical for Alternating Activity During Locomotion: In Vitro Neonatal and In Vivo Adult Studies Using 5-HT7 Receptor Knockout Mice

5-HT7 receptors have been implicated in the control of locomotion. Here we use 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice to rigorously test whether 5-HT acts at the 5-HT7 receptor to control locomotor-like activity in the neonatal mouse spinal cord in vitro and voluntary locomotion in adult mice. We found that 5-HT applied onto in vitro spinal cords of 5-HT7+/+ mice produced locomotor-like activity that was disrupted and subsequently blocked by the 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB-269970. In spinal cords isolated from 5-HT7-/- mice, 5-HT produced either uncoordinated rhythmic activity or resulted in synchronous discharges of the ventral roots. SB-269970 had no effect on 5-HT-induced rhythmic activity in the 5-HT7-/- mice. In adult in vivo experiments, SB-269970 applied directly to the spinal cord consistently disrupted locomotion and produced prolonged-extension of the hindlimbs in 5-HT7+/+ but not 5-HT7-/- mice. Disrupted EMG activity produced by SB-269970 in vivo was similar to the uncoordinated rhythmic activity produced by the drug in vitro. Moreover, 5-HT7-/- mice displayed greater maximal extension at the hip and ankle joints than 5-HT7+/+ animals during voluntary locomotion. These results suggest that spinal 5-HT7 receptors are required for the production and coordination of 5-HT-induced locomotor-like activity in the neonatal mouse and are important for the coordination of voluntary locomotion in adult mice. We conclude that spinal 5-HT7 receptors are critical for alternating activity during locomotion.

P.8.a.025 Therapeutic contact through Internet. Discussion of the theoretical and technical possibilities of realization therapy

Based on electrophysiological, neurochemical, genetic and neuropharmacological approaches, it is currently accepted that serotonin (5-HT) functions predominantly to promote wakefulness (W) and to inhibit REM (rapid eye movement) sleep (REMS). Yet, under certain circumstances the neurotransmitter contributes to the increase in sleep propensity. Most of the serotonergic innervation of the cerebral cortex, amygdala, basal forebrain (BFB), thalamus, preoptic and hypothalamic areas, raphe nuclei, locus coeruleus and pontine reticular formation comes from the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN). The 5-HT receptors can be classified into at least seven classes, designated 5-HT1–7. The 5-HT1A and 5-HT1B receptor subtypes are linked to the inhibition of adenylate cyclase, and their activation evokes a membrane hyperpolarization. The actions of the 5-HT2A, 5-HT2B and 5-HT2C receptor subtypes are mediated by the activation of phospholipase C, with a resulting depolarization of the host cell. The 5-HT3 receptor directly activates a 5-HT-gated cation channel which leads to the depolarization of monoaminergic, aminoacidergic and cholinergic cells. The primary signal transduction pathway of 5-HT6 and 5-HT7 receptors is the stimulation of adenylate cyclase which results in the depolarization of the follower neurons. Mutant mice that do not express 5-HT1A or 5-HT1B receptor exhibit greater amounts of REMS than their wild-type counterparts, which could be related to the absence of a postsynaptic inhibitory effect on REM-on neurons of the laterodorsal and pedunculopontine tegmental nuclei (LDT/PPT). 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C receptor knock-out mice show a significant increase of W and a reduction of slow wave sleep (SWS) which has been ascribed to the increase of catecholaminergic neurotransmission involving mainly the noradrenergic and dopaminergic systems. Sleep variables have been characterized, in addition, in 5-HT7 receptor knock-out mice; the mutants spend less time in REMS that their wild-type counterparts. Direct infusion of the 5-HT1A receptor agonists 8-OH-DPAT and flesinoxan into the DRN significantly enhances REMS in the rat. In contrast, microinjection of the 5-HT1B (CP-94253), 5-HT2A/2C (DOI), 5-HT3 (m-chlorophenylbiguanide) and 5-HT7 (LP-44) receptor agonists into the DRN induces a significant reduction of REMS. Systemic injection of full agonists at postsynaptic 5-HT1A (8-OH-DPAT, flesinoxan), 5-HT1B (CGS 12066B, CP-94235), 5-HT2C (RO 60-0175), 5-HT2A/2C (DOI, DOM), 5-HT3 (m-chlorophenylbiguanide) and 5-HT7 (LP-211) receptors increases W and reduces SWS and REMS. Of note, systemic administration of the 5-HT2A/2C receptor antagonists ritanserin, ketanserin, ICI-170,809 or sertindole at the beginning of the light period has been shown to induce a significant increase of SWS and a reduction of REMS in the rat. Wakefulness was also diminished in most of these studies. Similar effects have been described following the injection of the selective 5-HT2A receptor antagonists volinanserin and pruvanserin and of the 5-HT2A receptor inverse agonist nelotanserin in rodents. In addition, the effects of these compounds have been studied on the sleep electroencephalogram of subjects with normal sleep. Their administration was followed by an increase of SWS and, in most instances, a reduction of REMS. The administration of ritanserin to poor sleepers, patients with chronic primary insomnia and psychiatric patients with a generalized anxiety disorder or a mood disorder caused a significant increase in SWS. The 5-HT2A receptor inverse agonist APD-125 induced also an increase of SWS in patients with chronic primary insomnia. It is known that during the administration of benzodiazepine (BZD) hypnotics to patients with insomnia there is a further reduction of SWS and REMS, whereas both variables tend to remain decreased during the use of non-BZD derivatives (zolpidem, zopiclone, eszopiclone, zaleplon). Thus, the association of 5-HT2A antagonists or 5-HT2A inverse agonists with BZD and non-BZD hypnotics could be a valid alternative to normalize SWS in patients with primary or comorbid insomnia.

5-HT 7 Receptor Inhibition and Inactivation Induce Antidepressantlike Behavior and Sleep Pattern

The 5-hydroxytryptamine7 receptor (5-HT7) is implicated in circadian rhythm phase resetting, and 5-HT7 receptor-selective antagonists alter rapid eye movement (REM) sleep parameters in a pattern opposite from those in patients with clinical depression. As sleep, circadian rhythm, and mood regulation are related, we examined 5-HT7 receptor knockout mice in two behavioral models of depression. The forced swim and tail suspension tests are highly predictive for antidepressant drug activity. Unmedicated 5-HT7-/- mice showed decreased immobility in both tests, consistent with an antidepressantlike behavior. The selective 5-HT7 receptor antagonist SB-269970 also decreased immobility. The selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor citalopram, a widely used antidepressant, decreased immobility in both 5-HT7+/+ and 5-HT7-/- mice in the tail suspension test, suggesting that it utilizes an independent mechanism. The 5-HT7-/- mice spent less time in and had less frequent episodes of REM sleep, also consistent with an antidepressantlike state. The 5-HT7 receptor might have a role in mood disorders and antagonists might have therapeutic value as antidepressants.

Circadian Rhythm Phenotype of 5-HT₇ Receptor Knockout Mice: 5-HT and 8-OH-DPAT-Induced Phase Advances of SCN Neuronal Firing

In vitro neuronal recordings in the SCN have clearly documented shifts in the peak of unit activity following the application of serotonergic agents, and yet selectivity issues with these very tools have limited progress in establishing the precise receptor mechanisms. As an alternative strategy, mice were bred (C57BL/6J) lacking 1 serotonin receptor, the 5-HT(7), to serve as a null background for this subtype; earlier work had documented the involvement of 5-HT(7) receptors in the phase advances elicited by 8-OH-DPAT, a mixed 5-HT(1A/7) agonist, in SCN slices prepared from rat donors. Single-unit recordings in sequential electrode passes revealed peaks of activity that occurred at nearly the same time in the knockout (KO; ZT4.2 +/- 0.6) and wild-type animals (WT; ZT4.3 +/- 0.1), where ZT0 marks the beginning of the light phase in a 12:12 LD cycle. Bath application of 8-OH-DPAT produced a phase advance in neuronal firing (2.1 +/- 0.5 h) when applied 1 circadian cycle earlier at ZT6 (10 microM, 10 min), but surprisingly, the mean phase advance in slices prepared from KO mice (2.3 +/- 0.1 h) was no different. Coapplication of 8-OH-DPAT with WAY-100,635 (10 microM), a highly selective 5-HT(1A) antagonist, significantly reduced the phase advance, both in experiments with WT and KO mice, suggesting the greater importance of this serotonin sub-type independent of genetic modification. 5-HT itself (0.5 +/-M, 10 min) at ZT6 also yielded phase advances that were indistinguishable in slices prepared from WT and KO mice (1.8 +/- 0.4 h and 2.1 +/- 0.2 h, respectively) and that were also sensitive to WAY-100,635. Unlike the pattern with 8-OH-DPAT, however, 5-HT-induced phase advances, in both WT and KO mice, were blocked by ritanserin, in this paradigm useful as a 5-HT(5A/7) antagonist (in addition to its more typical role as a 5-HT2A/2C antagonist). Serotonin antagonists when administered alone were without effect in slices from WT mice but produced significant phase shifts when administered to those from KO animals. Taken together, these results highlight the importance of the species used in establishing receptor mechanism. More provocatively, they support the involvement of multiple serotonin receptors in shifting the phase of circadian rhythms at ZT6.