Biomedical subjects

Sergi Ferré

Publications and source records attributed to Sergi Ferré.

40 records · Page 3Linked to original sources

PubMed2002

Metabotropic glutamate mGlu5 receptor-mediated modulation of the ventral striopallidal GABA pathway in rats. Interactions with adenosine A(2A) and dopamine D(2) receptors.

Interactions between subtypes of dopamine, glutamate and adenosine receptors seem to play an important integrative role in the function of striatal gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic efferent neurons. Recent behavioral and biochemical studies suggest the existence of specific interactions between adenosine A2A receptors (A(2A)R), dopamine D2 receptors (D2R) and the group I metabotropic mGlu5 receptors (mGlu5R) in the dorsal striatum. The dual-probe approach in vivo microdialysis technique in freely moving rats was used to study the role of mGlu5R/A2AR/D2R interactions in the modulation of the ventral striopallidal GABA pathway. Perfusion of a selective mGlu5R agonist (CHPG) in the nucleus accumbens facilitated GABA release in the ipsilateral ventral pallidum. This effect was strongly potentiated by co-perfusion with the A2AR agonist CGS 21680. Co-perfusion with the D2R agonist quinpirole counteracted the increase in pallidal GABA levels induced by CGS 21680 and by CGS 21680 plus CHPG. These results demonstrate that mGlu5R/A2AR/D2R interactions play an important modulatory role in the function of the ventral striopallidal GABA pathway, which might have implications for the treatment of schizophrenia and drug addiction.

Adenosine↗

PubMed2002

Adenosinergic modulation of the discriminative-stimulus effects of methamphetamine in rats.

RATIONALE: A(1) and A(2A) adenosine receptors are co-localized with dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptors, respectively, and their stimulation attenuates dopaminergic functioning. OBJECTIVE: To test whether adenosine antagonists with different selectivities for A(1) and A(2A) receptors mimic the discriminative-stimulus effects of dopamine releaser methamphetamine. METHODS: Effects of the A(1) antagonist DPCPX, the preferential A(2A) antagonist DMPX and the non-selective adenosine antagonist caffeine were evaluated in Sprague-Dawley rats trained to discriminate 1.0 mg/kg, IP, methamphetamine from saline under a fixed-ratio 10 schedule of food presentation. RESULTS: The A(1) antagonist DPCPX (1.0-10.0 mg/kg) failed to substitute for methamphetamine. However, 5.6 mg/kg DPCPX shifted the methamphetamine dose-response curve to the left. The A(2A) antagonist DMPX (1.8-18.0 mg/kg) produced about 70% methamphetamine-appropriate responding and the non-selective antagonist caffeine (3.0-56.0 mg/kg) about 50% methamphetamine-appropriate responding at the highest tested doses. Both DMPX (5.6 mg/kg) and caffeine (30.0 mg/kg) shifted the methamphetamine dose-response curve to the left. Methamphetamine-like effects of DMPX were blocked fully by the D(2) antagonist spiperone (0.18 mg/kg) and partially by the D(1) antagonist SCH-23390 (0.018 mg/kg). CONCLUSIONS: Antagonism at A(2A) adenosine receptors directly mimics the discriminative-stimulus effects of methamphetamine through the interaction with dopamine receptors. Antagonism at A(1) adenosine receptors potentiates effects of lower methamphetamine doses and thus plays a rather indirect, modulatory role.

Animals↗

PubMed2002

Local dopaminergic modulation of the motor activity induced by N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor stimulation in the ventral hippocampus.

Dopaminergic neurotransmission has been implicated in the motor activating effects induced by the local infusion of NMDA in the ventral hippocampus (VH). The nucleus accumbens and the ventral tegmental area (VTA) have been proposed to be the main loci where dopamine is acting as a positive modulator of the VH NMDA receptor-mediated motor activating effects. However, the existence of a relatively high dopamine innervation and dopamine receptor density in the VH suggests the possibility of local dopamine/NMDA receptor interactions. This hypothesis was tested by studying the effects of the bilateral local VH infusion of NMDA (0.05, 0.1, 0.5 and 1.0 microg/side), the dopamine D1/D5 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 (1 microg/side) and the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist raclopride (1 and 5 microg/side). Neither SCH 23390 nor raclopride induced any significant change in motor activity compared with the vehicle control group, but both compounds significantly antagonized the motor activation induced by NMDA. SCH 23390 (1 microg/side) was more potent that raclopride (minimal effective dose: 5 microg/side). These results demonstrate the existence of a strong tonic facilitating effect of dopamine, acting preferentially at dopamine D1/D5 receptors, on NMDA receptor-mediated effects in the VH.

Animals↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Amazing stability of the arginine-phosphate electrostatic interaction.

Electrostatic interactions between a basic epitope containing adjacent arginine residues and an acidic epitope containing a phosphorylated serine are involved in receptor heteromerization. In the present study, we demonstrate that this arginine-phosphate electrostatic interaction possesses a "covalent-like" stability. Hence, these bonds can withstand fragmentation by mass spectrometric collision-induced dissociation at energies similar to those that fragment covalent bonds and they demonstrate an extremely low dissociation constant by plasmon resonance. The present work also highlights the importance of phosphorylation-dephosphorylation events in the modulation of this electrostatic attraction. Phosphorylation of the acidic epitope, a casein kinase one consensus site, makes it available to interact with the basic epitope. On the other hand, phosphorylation of serine and/or threonine residues adjacent to the basic epitope, a protein kinase A consensus site, slows down the attraction between the epitopes. Although analyzed here in the frame of receptor heteromerization, the arginine-phosphate electrostatic interaction most likely represents a general mechanism in protein-protein interactions.

Amino Acid Sequence↗