Michihisa Tohda and Hiroshi Watanabe
Department of Pharmacology, Research Institute for Wakan-yaku, Toyama Medical
and Pharmaceutical University, 2630 Sugitani, Toyama 930-0194, Japan
Abstract: The effects of repeated oral administration of antidepressants
on the serotonin 2C receptor subtype (5-HT2CR) mRNA level in the rat brain
were examined. Imipramine (20 mg/kg, p.o.) enhanced the hybridization signal
in a time (days)-dependent manner, reaching a maximum at day 4 and maintaining
a high level until day 14. Desipramine and mianserin, which have 5-HT2CR
antagonistic activity, also stimulated the mRNA expression to about same
extents as imipramine, but nomifensine, which has no effect on 5-HT2CR,
was ineffective. These results suggest that long-term treatment with antidepressants,
which act as 5-HT2CR antagonists, stimulates 5-HT2CR mRNA expression.
Keywords: Serotonin 2C receptor, Antidepressant, mRNA expression