The 5-HT4 receptor antagonist ML10375 inhibits the constitutive activity of human 5-HT4(c) receptor

Transient expression in COS-7 cells of the recombinant human 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) h5-HT4(c) receptor isoform led to constitutive activity of the receptor. The 5-HT4 receptor antagonist 2-(cis-3,5-dimethylpiperidino)ethyl 4-amino-5-chloro-2-methoxybenzoate (ML10375) at 1 mu M completely abolished the 5-HT (1 mu M)-mediated increase in adenylyl cyclase activity in COS-7 cells expressing the h5-HT4(c) receptor. Moreover, ML10375 also reduced basal cAMP levels in cells over-expressing the receptor, even in the absence of agonist. The inhibitory effect of ML10375 on basal adenylyl cyclase activity was not modified by pre-treatment of the cells with pertussis toxin, indicating that ML10375 acts through inactivation of spontaneously active h5-HT4(c), receptors rather than through a G(i)/G(o) regulatory pathway. We conclude that ML10375 acts as an inverse agonist on the h5-HT4(c) receptor.