Interactive effects of mGlu5 and 5-HT2A receptors on locomotor activity in mice

Loss of metabotropic glutamate 5 (mGlu5) receptor activity, either through gene deletion or pharmacological blockade, causes locomotor hyperactivity and reduced habituation in mice. The serotonergic hallucinogen and 5-HT2A agonist DOM (0.5 mg/kg) increased this hyperactivity, while the 5-HT2A antagonist M100907 (1.0 mg/kg) reduced it. M100907 (0.1 mg/kg) also blocked hyperactivity induced by the mGlu5-negative allosteric modulator MPEP. These findings indicate a functional interaction between mGlu5 and 5-HT2A receptors, suggesting mGlu5 receptors may mitigate the behavioral effects of 5-HT2A hallucinogens or that mGlu5 knockout mice have increased sensitivity to such agonists.

Study at a glance

Abstract

RATIONALE: Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors have been suggested to play a role in neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia, drug abuse, and depression. Because serotonergic hallucinogens increase glutamate release and mGlu receptors modulate the response to serotonin (5-HT)(2A) activation, the interactions between serotonin 5-HT(2A) receptors and mGlu receptors may prove to be important for our understanding of these diseases. OBJECTIVE: We tested the effects of the serotonergic hallucinogen and 5-HT(2A) agonist, 2,5-dimethoxy-4-methylamphetamine (DOM), and the selective 5-HT(2A) antagonist, M100907, on locomotor activity in the mouse behavioral pattern monitor (BPM) in mGlu5 wild-type (WT) and knockout (KO) mice on a C57 background. RESULTS: Both male and female mGlu5 KO mice showed locomotor hyperactivity and diminished locomotor habituation compared with their WT counterparts. Similarly, the mGlu5-negative allosteric modulator 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP) also increased locomotor hyperactivity, which was absent in mGlu5 KO mice. The locomotor hyperactivity in mGlu5 receptor KO mice was potentiated by DOM (0.5 mg/kg, subcutaneously (SC)) and attenuated by M100907 (1.0 mg/kg, SC). M100907 (0.1 mg/kg, SC) also blocked the hyperactivity induced by MPEP. CONCLUSIONS: These studies demonstrated that loss of mGlu5 receptor activity either pharmacologically or through gene deletion leads to locomotor hyperactivity in mice. Additionally, the gene deletion of mGlu5 receptors increased the behavioral response to the 5-HT(2A) agonist DOM, suggesting that mGlu5 receptors either mitigate the behavioral effects of 5-HT(2A) hallucinogens or that mGlu5 KO mice show an increased sensitivity to 5-HT(2A) agonists. Taken together, these studies indicate a functional interaction between mGlu5 and 5-HT(2A) receptors.