Dihydroergocristine-induced stimulation of the 5-HT autoreceptor in the hypothalamus of the rat.

In slices of the hypothalamus of the rat, prelabelled with [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine ([3H]5-HT), dihydroergocristine (DHEC) decreased in a concentration-dependent manner (0.01-1 microM) the release of [3H]transmitter elicited by stimulation. In the presence of phentolamine (1 microM), sulpiride (1 microM), atropine (1 microM) or methiothepin (0.1 microM), the effect of DHEC remained unchanged. However, methiothepin at 1 microM and citalopram at 1 microM antagonized the inhibition induced by DHEC. Methiothepin at 0.1 microM has been shown to be sufficient to shift to the right the concentration-effect curve of D-lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) on the stimulation-evoked release of [3H]5-HT by a factor of 10. However, in the present experiments, 1 microM methiothepin was required to antagonize the effect of DHEC. Thus, the alpha adrenergic, dopaminergic and cholinergic activities of DHEC do not seem to be responsible for its effect on the release of 5-HT. The lower potency of methiothepin suggests, however, that stimulation of the 5-HT autoreceptor by DHEC may not fully explain the results.