Effect of metaphit on dopaminergic neurotransmission in rat striatal slices: involvement of the dopamine transporter and voltage-dependent sodium channel.

Metaphit, an isothiocyanate analog of phencyclidine (PCP), increased the basal release of radioactivity (outflow) from perfused rat striatal slices preloaded with [3H]dopamine above levels observed with the dopamine uptake blocker nomifensin. Preperfusing the slices with metaphit, followed by its removal, attenuated the amphetamine- or dopamine-induced outflow. In slices prepared from reserpine-pretreated rats, the metaphit (100 microM)-induced outflow was reduced to that observed with 10 microM nomifensin, suggesting a vesicular releasing effect of metaphit in addition to dopamine uptake blockade. Electrically induced overflow of radioactivity from normal slices was stimulated by nomifensin and PCP, and by metaphit at 3 microM; it was unaffected by metaphit at 10 and 25 microM, and inhibited by higher concentrations of metaphit. Evidence that the latter effect is due to blockade of voltage-dependent sodium channels is as follows. First, metaphit, as did PCP, inhibited the binding of [3H]batrachotoxinin A 20-alpha benzoate to rat striatal synaptoneurosomes by increasing its dissociation rate; the effect of PCP, but not that of metaphit, was reversible by washing. Second, metaphit, as did PCP, inhibited veratridine (5 microM)-induced influx of [14C]guanidinium ion into synaptoneurosomes. Third, metaphit inhibited overflow of radioactivity from [3H]dopamine-preloaded slices induced by 2.5 microM veratridine, as did the sodium channel blocker tetrodotoxin.