In vitro release of tritiated monoamines from rat CNS tissue by the neurotoxic compound 1-methyl-phenyl-tetrahydropyridine.

The effects of the neurotoxic compound, 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (1-MPTP), on monoamine release was determined using slices of rat corpus striatum or cerebral cortex preloaded with [3H]dopamine or [3H]serotonin, respectively. 1-MPTP released both monoamines in a concentration-dependent manner. [3H]Dopamine release was unaffected by tetrodotoxin, the absence of Ca2+, and nicotinic or muscarinic cholinergic antagonists. Dopamine uptake inhibitors had no effect on release from normal striatal slices but appeared to attenuate 1-MPTP-induced release from striatal slices of reserpine-pretreated rats.