A. Merzak et al., EXPRESSION OF SEROTONIN RECEPTORS IN HUMAN FETAL ASTROCYTES AND GLIOMA CELL-LINES - A POSSIBLE ROLE IN GLIOMA CELL-PROLIFERATION AND MIGRATION, Molecular brain research, 41(1-2), 1996, pp. 1-7
Expression of seven serotonin or 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptors
(5-HT1D alpha, 5-HT1E, 5-HT2, 5-HT1A, 5-HT1C, 5-HT1D beta, and 5-HT6)
was investigated in human normal fetal astrocytes and eight glioma cel
l lines by reverse transcription and polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR
). No expression of 5-HT1D beta and 5-HT6 was observed in any of the c
ell lines studied. The 5-HT1D alpha receptor was found to be expressed
in two human glioma cell lines but not in normal astrocytes. In addit
ion, only three glioma cell lines expressed the 5-HT1E receptor. The 5
-HT1C receptor was expressed in six glioma cell lines but not in norma
l astrocytes while the 5-HT1A was found to be expressed in normal astr
ocytes from the left hemisphere and in six glioma cell lines but not i
n normal astrocytes from the cerebellum. Interestingly, the 5-HT2 rece
ptor was expressed in all cells studied but very weakly in normal astr
ocytes. The effect of 5-HT on glioma cell proliferation, migration, an
d invasion was also investigated. Serotonin was found to positively mo
dulate these three processes in vitro. These results suggest that 5-HT
may play an important role in the control of the biological propertie
s of human glioma cells.