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Mutual activation of glutamatergic mGlu 4 and muscarinic M 4 receptors reverses schizophrenia-related changes in rodents

Paulina Cieślik, Monika Woźniak, Jerri M Rook, Mohammed N Tantawy, P Jeffrey Conn, Francine Acher, Krzysztof Tokarski, Magdalena Kusek, Andrzej Pilc, Joanna M Wierońska

Psychopharmacology (Berl). 2018 Oct;235(10):2897-2913.

PMID: 30054675

Abstract:

Rationale:
Metabotropic glutamate receptors and muscarinic M4 receptors have been proposed as novel targets for various brain disorders, including schizophrenia. Both receptors are coupled to Go/i proteins and are expressed in brain circuits that are important in schizophrenia. Therefore, their mutual activation may be an effective treatment and allow minimizing the doses of ligands required for optimal activity.
Objectives:
In the present studies, subactive doses of mGlu4 and M4 activators (LSP4-2022 and VU152100, respectively) were administered to investigate the mutual interaction between mGlu4 and M4 receptors in animal models of schizophrenia.
Methods:
The behavioral tests used were MK-801-induced hyperactivity, (±)-2.5-dimethoxy-4-iodoamphetamine hydrochloride (DOI)-induced head twitches, the modified forced swim test, and MK-801-induced disruptions of social interactions and novel object recognition. DOI-induced spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (sEPSCs) in brain slices and positron emission tomography (PET) in were used to establish the ability of these compounds to modulate the glutamatergic and dopaminergic systems. Rotarod was used to assess putative adverse effects.
Results:
The mutual administration of subactive doses of LSP4-2022 and VU152100 exerted similar antipsychotic-like efficacy in animals as observed for active doses of both compounds, indicating their additive actions. VU152100 inhibited the DOI-induced frequency (but not amplitude) of sEPSCs in the frontal cortex, confirming presynaptic regulation of glutamate release. Both compounds reversed amphetamine-induced decrease in D2 receptor levels in the striatum, as measured with [18F]fallypride. The compounds did not induce any motor impartments when measured in rotarod test.
Conclusions:
Based on our results, the simultaneous activation of M4 and mGlu4 receptors is beneficial in reversing MK-801- and amphetamine-induced schizophrenia-related changes in animals.

Chemicals Related in the Paper:

Catalog Number Product Name Structure CAS Number Price
AP39628110 Camfetamine hydrochloride Camfetamine hydrochloride 39628-11-0 Price
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