SEROTONIN ENHANCES GASTRIC-ACID RESPONSE TO TRH ANALOG IN DORSAL VAGAL COMPLEX THROUGH 5-HT2 RECEPTORS IN RATS

The effect of serotonin (5-HT) and thyrotropin-releasing hormone (TRH) analogue, p-Glu-His-[3,3'-dimethyl]-Pro-NH2 (RX-77368), injected into the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) on gastric acid secretion was assessed in urethan-anesthetized rats with gastric cannula. 5-HT (0.1, 0.2, 1, or 10 nmol into the DVC) enhanced the acid response to RX-77368 (25 pmol, DVC) by 54, 100, 147, and 144%, respectively, whereas 5-HT given alone had no effect. The 5-HT2 receptor agonists (1 nmol, DVC), (+/-)-1-(4-iodo-2,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-2-aminopropane hydrochloride, 1(alpha,alpha,alpha-trifluoro-m-tolyl)-piperazine hydrochloride, and alpha-methyl-5-HT increased the gastric acid response to coinjection of RX-77368 (25 pmol) by 153, 108, and 96%, respectively, whereas 8-hydroxy-2(di-n -propylamino)tetralin (5-HT1A), 7-trifluoromethyl-4(4-methyl-1-piperazinyl)-pryrolo[1,2-a]quinoxaline (5-HT1A/1B), and 3-(2-aminoethyl)-2-methyl-1-H-indol-5-ol hydrochloride hydrate (2-methyl-5-HT3) did not. The 5-HT2 receptor antagonist, 3-[2-(4-fluorobenzoyl)-1-piperdinyl]ethyl]-2,4(1H,3H)-quinazolinedone tartrate (ketanserin; 20 nmol), injected intracisternally abolished the potentiating action of 5-HT injected into the DVC with RX-77368, whereas the 5-HT antagonists 8-[4-(4-fluorophenyl)-4-oxobutyl]-1-phenyl-1,3,8-triazaspiro[4,5]-decan-4-one (spiperone; 5-HT2/1A) and 1,2,3,9-tetrahydro-9-methyl-3-[(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]-4H-carbazol-4-one hydrochloride dihydrate (ondansetron; 5-HT3) did not. Ketanserin (1 nmol/site bilaterally into the DVC) decreased the acid response to kainic acid injected into the raphe pallidus by 62%. These data suggest that 5-HT acting at 5-HT2 receptors in the DVC potentiates the gastric acid response to exogenous and endogenous TRH.