Biomedical subjects

R R Metzger

Publications and source records attributed to R R Metzger.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

The effects of methamphetamine on serotonin transporter activity: role of dopamine and hyperthermia.

Multiple administrations of methamphetamine (METH) rapidly decreased serotonin (5HT) transporter (SERT) function in rat striatum and hippocampus. The purpose of this study was to identify the mechanisms/ factors contributing to this METH-induced decrease in SERT function. Multiple high-dose METH injections rapidly decreased 5HT uptake without altering binding of the 5HT transporter ligand paroxetine. Hyperthermia contributed to this deficit in transporter function in striatum and hippocampus, as prevention of METH-induced hyperthermia attenuated this decrease. A role for dopamine (DA) was suggested by findings that pretreatment with the tyrosine hydroxylase inhibitor alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine, the D1 antagonist SCH-23390, or the D2 antagonist eticlopride attenuated the METH-induced decrease in striatal, but not hippocampal, SERT activity. These effects were independent of the ability of these DA-antagonizing drugs to prevent METH-induced hyperthermia. These results suggest that DA contributes to the decrease in SERT function caused by multiple METH injections in the striatum, but not hippocampus, and that hyperthermia facilitates these deficits in SERT function in both brain regions. In contrast, the response of SERT to a single administration of METH was DA and hyperthermia independent. These findings suggest that the mechanisms/ factors involved in decreasing SERT activity after a single administration of METH are distinct from that caused by multiple administrations.

Animals↗

PubMed2000

Methamphetamine-induced rapid decrease in dopamine transporter function: role of dopamine and hyperthermia.

Single and multiple high-dose administrations of methamphetamine (METH) differentially decrease dopamine (DA) transporter (DAT) function, as assessed by measuring [(3)H]DA uptake into rat striatal synaptosomes prepared 1 h after treatment. Prevention of METH-induced hyperthermia attenuated the decrease in DAT activity induced by multiple injections of the stimulant. Likewise, this decrease was attenuated by previous depletion of striatal DA levels using alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alphaMT) or pretreatment with the D1 and D2 antagonists SCH-23390 and eticlopride, respectively. However, METH-induced hyperthermia was also blocked by alphaMT and eticlopride. Reinstatement of hyperthermia to alphaMT- or eticlopride-pretreated rats partially restored the METH-induced decrease in DAT activity. In contrast, neither prevention of METH-induced hyperthermia depletion of DA, nor DA antagonists altered the decrease in DAT function induced by a single administration of METH. Pretreatment with the antioxidant N-t-butyl-alpha-phenylnitrone prevented part of the decrease in DAT function associated with multiple, but not a single, METH injections. Although not tested directly, additional data presented here suggest that the reduction in DAT activity induced by a single METH administration constitutes a part of the total reduction observed immediately after multiple administrations. Taken together, the results indicate that DA, hyperthermia, and oxygen radicals contribute to a component of the rapid decrease in DAT function induced by multiple injections of METH but do not appear to be associated with the reduction induced by a single administration of the stimulant.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

Differential effects of psychostimulants and related agents on dopaminergic and serotonergic transporter function.

High-dose administrations of amphetamine, methamphetamine, cathinone, methcathinone or methylenedioxymethamphetamine rapidly decrease dopamine and serotonin transporter function in vivo, as assessed in striatal synaptosomes obtained from drug-treated rats. In contrast, high-dose injections of fenfluramine, cocaine or methylphenidate had little or no effect on the activity of these transporters. Interestingly, the capacity of these agents to directly alter dopamine and serotonin uptake, as assessed in vitro by direct application to rat striatal synaptosomes, did not predict their potential to modulate transporter activity following in vivo administration. These findings demonstrate heretofore-unreported differences in the effects of these agents on monoamine transporter function, and a distinction between drug effects after direct application in vitro vs. administration in vivo.

Animals↗

PubMed1999

A nitric oxide/cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase pathway alters transmitter release and inhibition by somatostatin at a site downstream of calcium entry.

We have examined the somatostatin-mediated modulation of acetylcholine release from intact chick embryo choroid tissue and compared these data with those obtained using acutely dissociated neuronal cell bodies from the chick ciliary ganglion. Acetylcholine release, evoked in a calcium-dependent manner by a high potassium (55 mM KCI) stimulation in both preparations, was inhibited almost completely by 100 nM somatostatin. Measurement of intracellular calcium in these neurons revealed that somatostatin blocked the large calcium transient that was observed in control neurons following KCI exposure. The modulatory effect of somatostatin on transmitter release was significantly attenuated by pre-treatment with pharmacologic agents that selectively block cyclic GMP (cGMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKG) or nitric oxide (NO) synthase. It is interesting that this prevention of somatostatin-mediated acetylcholine release inhibition occurred without reversal of the somatostatin-mediated block of the KCl-evoked calcium transient. Furthermore, a NO donor or cGMP analogue could block KCI-evoked acetylcholine release, but only cGMP could reduce the KCI-evoked calcium transient. Although cGMP could reduce the KCI-evoked calcium transient, a cGMP analogue was shown to reduce calcium ionophore-evoked transmitter release. Thus, somatostatin reduces acetylcholine release by modulating calcium influx, but the NO-PKG pathway can inhibit acetylcholine release, and alter somatostatin-mediated inhibition, by affecting transmitter release at some point after calcium entry.

Acetylcholine↗

PubMed1998

Methamphetamine treatment rapidly inhibits serotonin, but not glutamate, transporters in rat brain.

Previous studies have demonstrated that multiple methamphetamine (METH) administrations rapidly and reversibly decrease dopamine transporter activity assessed in striatal synaptosomes. A role for reactive oxygen species was suggested by findings that: (1) METH treatment increases the formation of oxygen radicals in vivo; and (2) oxygen radicals, generated by the enzyme xanthine oxidase, attenuate dopamine uptake in vitro. To test the selectivity of transporter responses, the present study examined effects of METH and xanthine oxidase on [3H]serotonin ([3H]5HT) and [3H]glutamate transport into striatal synaptosomes. Multiple doses of METH, or incubation with xanthine oxidase, rapidly attenuated [3H]5HT transport; an effect attributable to a decrease in Vmax. The METH-induced decrease in transport activity completely recovered by 24 h, but was decreased again 1 week later. In contrast, [3H]glutamate transport was essentially unchanged after METH treatment or incubation with xanthine oxidase. These findings indicate that: (1) METH causes a rapid and reversible decrease in 5HT transporter activity; and (2) glutamate transporters are less susceptible than 5HT transporters to effects of reactive species or METH treatment.

ATP-Binding Cassette Transporters↗

PubMed1998

Methamphetamine-induced rapid and reversible reduction in the activities of tryptophan hydroxylase and dopamine transporters: oxidative consequences?

Treatment with high doses of methamphetamine (METH) results in dramatic changes in extrapyramidal monoaminergic systems. Elevated concentrations of extracellular dopamine (DA), caused by METH administration, are thought to contribute to these effects due to the oxidative potential of this reactive catecholamine. According to this hypothesis monoaminergic cellular elements, which are vulnerable to oxidative modification, may be especially sensitive to high-dose METH treatments. We confirmed this possibility by observing that both tryptophan hydroxylase (the synthesizing enzyme for serotonin) and the DA transporter, proteins particularly susceptible to oxidative modification, were rapidly (within 30 min), but reversibly (returned to control levels by 36 hr) inactivated by a single administration of METH. These findings suggest that there also may be other cellular elements similarly altered by METH treatment due to oxidative mechanisms.

Animals↗

PubMed1998

3-4-Methylenedioxymethamphetamine-induced acute changes in dopamine transporter function.

The acute effects of the amphetamine designer drug, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA or 'ecstasy'), on dopamine transporter function in rat striatum were investigated and compared to other psychostimulants known to influence monoaminergic systems. A single MDMA injection (10-20 mg/kg; s.c.) caused a dose-related decrease in [3H]dopamine uptake into striatal synaptosomes prepared 1 h after MDMA administration. This rapid effect on [3H]dopamine uptake returned to control levels 24 h after treatment. A single administration of other amphetamine analogs, such as methamphetamine (15 mg/kg; s.c.), p-chloroamphetamine (10 mg/kg; i.p.) or methcathinone (30 mg/kg; s.c.), also rapidly decreased striatal [3H]dopamine uptake. In contrast, a single or multiple administrations of cocaine (30 mg/kg; i.p.) had no effect on [3H]dopamine transport into striatal synaptosomes. These changes in dopamine transporter activity by the amphetamine analogs may occur via reactive oxygen species-mediated mechanisms.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Oxygen radicals diminish dopamine transporter function in rat striatum.

Incubation of striatal synaptosomes with the oxygen radical generating enzyme, xanthine oxidase, decreased [3H]dopamine uptake: an effect attributable to a decreased Vmax. Concurrent incubation with the superoxide radical scavenger, superoxide dismutase, abolished the xanthine oxidase-induced decrease. These results indicate that, like methamphetamine administration in vivo, reactive oxygen species diminish dopamine transporter function in vitro. The significance of these findings to mechanisms responsible for effects of methamphetamine is discussed.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

A rapid and reversible change in dopamine transporters induced by methamphetamine.

Because high doses of methamphetamine promote free radical formation, and striatal dopamine transporters are rapidly inactivated by oxidative events, we determined the effect of a single high dose of methamphetamine on dopamine transporter activity in striatal synaptosomes. One hour after methamphetamine administration, dopamine uptake decreased by 48%. This dramatic decline was totally reversed by 24 h after treatment. These findings suggest that methamphetamine reversibly decreases dopamine transporter activity by oxidative mechanisms.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Rapid and reversible effects of methamphetamine on dopamine transporters.

Reactive oxygen species decrease dopamine transporter (DAT) function in vitro. Because of this, and the finding that METH administration causes oxygen radical formation in vivo, the effects of METH administration on DAT activity in rat striatum were investigated. A single METH injection caused a dose-dependent (0-15 mg/kg) decrease in [3H]dopamine uptake into striatal synaptosomes prepared 1 h after METH administration; an effect attributable to a decreased Vmax of [3H]dopamine uptake. Similarly, multiple high-dose administrations of METH (10 mg/kg/dose; four doses at 2-h intervals) decreased DAT function. The decreases in DAT activity after either single or multiple METH administrations were reversed 24 h after treatment. [3H]5HT transport into striatal synaptosomes was also affected by METH treatment. Taken together, these data suggest that METH decreases DAT activity, perhaps through a reactive oxygen species-mediated mechanism. These findings may have important implications regarding the role of oxidative events in the physiological regulation of monoaminergic systems.

Animals↗