Starfish oocytes were injected with mRNA for the serotonin 1c receptor or with rat brain poly A+ mRNA, incubated to allow expression of the membrane protein, then matured to eggs by addition of 1-methyladenine. Applying serotonin to these eggs caused cortical granule exocytosis like that occurring at fertilization. Because the serotonin 1c receptor specifically activates a G-protein, these resu...

CANNABIS PRODUCES WELL-RECOGNIZED BEHAVIORAL EFFECTS AND TWO TYPES OF G PROTEIN-COUPLED RECEPTORS (CB1 AND CB2) HAVE BEEN CHARACTERIZED WHICH BIND THE ACTIVE COMPONENTS OF CANNABIS.1 Still, the functional roles of endogenous ligands for CB1 and CB2 receptors remain poorly defined.2 Early observations suggest a potent neuromodulatory role for these endocannabinoids, including alterations in slee...

A-to-I RNA editing has mainly been found in various receptors and ion channels in the central nervous system, including the serotonin 2C receptor, glutamate receptor, GABA receptor, and potassium channel. Interestingly, most of them are suggested to be involved in the pathophysiology of major mental disorders such as schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and major depression. Here we review studies ...

Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK3) is a constitutively active protein kinase in brain. Increasing evidence has shown that GSK3 acts as a modulator in the serotonin neurotransmission system, including direct interaction with serotonin 1B (5-HT1B) receptors in a highly selective manner and prominent modulating effect on 5-HT1B receptor activity. In this study, we utilized the serotonin neuron-sele...

Antineoplastic drugs have been shown to exert direct effects on the gut and induce the release of serotonin from the enterochromaffin cells of small intestinal mucosa. It is thought that released serotonin stimulates vagal afferent fibers through 5-HT3 receptors located in the vagal afferent terminals in the gastrointestinal tract and initiates sensory signals to the area postrema and the emeti...

Recent studies indicated that hyperactivity of the hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal system is a considerable risk factor for the precipitation of affective disorders, most notably of major depression. The mechanism by which this hyperactivity eventually leads to clinical symptoms of depression is unknown. In the present animal study, we tested one possible mechanism, i.e., that long-term exposure ...

We investigated serotonin stimulated palmitoylation of G alpha subunits in rat brain cerebrocortical membranes. Serotonin dose dependently stimulated palmitoylation of membrane G alpha proteins. The highest [3H] palmitate incorporation observed was by G alpha-q (7-fold), followed by G alpha-o (5-fold), G alpha-i (4-fold) and G alpha-s (3-fold) and these increases in palmitoylation were blocked ...

The Smith-Lemli-Opitz Syndrome (SLOS) is a congenital and developmental malformation syndrome associated with defective cholesterol biosynthesis. SLOS is clinically diagnosed by reduced plasma levels of cholesterol along with elevated levels of 7-dehydrocholesterol (and its positional isomer 8-dehydrocholesterol) and the ratio of their concentrations to that of cholesterol. Since SLOS is associ...

Psychological and pharmacological modalities have been proposed by studies to be adapted for treatment of panic disorder. Selective Serotonin Receptor Inhibitors (SSRI), a group antidepressant is the first-line drug recommended National Institute Health Care Excellence (NICE) British Association Psychopharmacology their more desired profile adverse effect over other classes antidepressants such...