Characterization of a cloned Xenopus laevis serotonin 5-HT1A receptor expressed in the NIH-3T3 cell line

In a previous work we isolated a Xenopus 5-HT1A receptor gene and now repor t the characterization of this receptor. The HindIII-XbaI fragment of this gene was cloned into the pcDNA I NEO vector and stably transfected into euk aryotic cells (NIH-3T3). To determine the specific 5-HT1A receptor binding, [H-3]8-OH-DPAT was used as radioligand. The selective 5-HT1A receptor agon ist bound only a single class of saturable high-affinity binding sites with pharmacological characteristics similar to those of the mammalian 5-HT1A r eceptor. The effects of X5-HT1A receptor activation on cell growth were als o investigated in stably transfected NIH-3T3 cells. The 5-HT1A agonist 8-OH -DPAT was found to increase DNA synthesis and accelerated cell growth. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.