M. El Yacoubi et al., Adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonists are potential antidepressants: evidence based on pharmacology and A(2A) receptor knockout mice, BR J PHARM, 134(1), 2001, pp. 68-77
1 Adenosine, an ubiquitous neuromodulator, and its analogues have been show
n to produce 'depressant' effects in animal models believed to be relevant
to depressive disorders, while adenosine receptor antagonists have been fou
nd to reverse adenosine-mediated 'depressant' effect.
2 We have designed studies to assess whether adenosine A(2A) receptor antag
onists, or genetic inactivation of the receptor would be effective in estab
lished screening procedures, such as tail suspension and forced swim tests,
which are predictive of clinical antidepressant activity.
3 Adenosine A(2A) receptor knockout mice were found to be less sensitive to
'depressant' challenges than their wildtype littermates. Consistently, the
adenosine A(2A) receptor blockers SCH 58261 (1-10 mg kg(1), i.p.) and KW 6
002 (0.1-10 mg kg(-1), p.o.) reduced the total immobility time in the tail
suspension test.
4 The efficacy of adenosine A(2A) receptor antagonists in reducing immobili
ty time in the tail suspension test was confirmed and extended in two group
s of mice. Specifically, SCH 58261 (1-10 mg kg(-1)) and ZM 241385 (15-60 mg
kg(-1)) were effective in mice previously screened for having high immobil
ity time, while SCH 58261 at 10 mg kg(-1) reduced immobility of mice that w
ere selectively bred for their spontaneous 'helplessness' in this assay.
5 Additional experiments were carried out using the forced swim test. SCH 5
8261 at 10 mg kg(-1) reduced the immobility time by 61%, while KW 6002 decr
eased the total immobility time at the doses of 1 and 10 mg kg(1) by 75 and
79%, respectively.
6 Administration of the dopamine D-2 receptor antagonist haloperidol (50-20
0 mug kg(-1) i.p.) prevented the antidepressant-like effects elicited by SC
H 58261 (10 mg kg(-1) i.p.) in forced swim test whereas it left unaltered i
ts stimulant motor effects.
7 In conclusion, these data support the hypothesis that AIA receptor antago
nists prolong escape-directed behaviour in two screening tests for antidepr
essants. Altogether the results support the hypothesis that blockade of the
adenosine A,A receptor might be an interesting target for the development
of effective antidepressant agents.