Pharmacological Effects of Lu AA21004A Novel Multimodal Compound for the Treatment of Major Depressive Disorder

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2012

Journal / Book Title

The Journal of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics

Abstract

1-[2-(2,4-Dimethylphenyl-sulfanyl)-phenyl]-piperazine (Lu AA21004) is a human (h) serotonin (5-HT) 3A receptor antagonist (K i = 3.7 nM), h5-HT 7 receptor antagonist (K i = 19 nM), h5-HT 1B receptor partial agonist (K i = 33 nM), h5-HT 1A receptor agonist (K i = 15 nM), and a human 5-HT transporter (SERT) inhibitor (K i = 1.6 nM) (J Med Chem 54:3206-3221, 2011). Here, we confirm that Lu AA21004 is a partial h5-HT 1B receptor agonist [EC 50 = 460 nM, intrinsic activity = 22%] using a whole-cell cAMP-based assay and demonstrate that Lu AA21004 is a rat (r) 5-HT 7 receptor antagonist (K i = 200 nM and IC 50 = 2080 nM). In vivo, Lu AA21004 occupies the r5-HT 1B receptor and rSERT (ED 50 = 3.2 and 0.4 mg/kg, respectively) after subcutaneous administration and is a 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist in the Bezold-Jarisch reflex assay (ED 50 = 0.11 mg/kg s.c.). In rat microdialysis experiments, Lu AA21004 (2.5-10.0 mg/kg s.c.) increased extracellular 5-HT, dopamine, and noradrenaline in the medial prefrontal cortex and ventral hippocampus. Lu AA21004 (5 mg/kg per day for 3 days; minipump subcutaneously), corresponding to 41% rSERT occupancy, significantly increased extracellular 5-HT in the ventral hippocampus. Furthermore, the 5-HT 3 receptor antagonist, ondansetron, potentiated the increase in extracellular levels of 5-HT induced by citalopram. Lu AA21004 has antidepressant- and anxiolytic- like effects in the rat forced swim (Flinders Sensitive Line) and social interaction and conditioned fear tests (minimal effective doses: 7.8, 2.0, and 3.9 mg/kg). In conclusion, Lu AA21004 mediates its pharmacological effects via two pharmacological modalities: SERT inhibition and 5-HT receptor modulation. In vivo, this results in enhanced release of several neurotransmitters and antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like profiles at doses for which targets in addition to the SERT are occupied. The multimodal activity profile of Lu AA21004 is distinct from that of current antidepressants.

DOI

10.1124/jpet.111.189068

Published Citation

Mørk, A., Pehrson, A., Brennum, L. T., Nielsen, S. M., Zhong, H., Lassen, A. B., Miller, S., Westrich, L., Boyle, N. J., Sánchez, C., Fischer, C. W., Liebenberg, N., Wegener, G., Bundgaard, C., Hogg, S., Bang-Andersen, B., & Stensbøl, T. B. (2012). Pharmacological effects of Lu AA21004: a novel multimodal compound for the treatment of major depressive disorder. The Journal of pharmacology and experimental therapeutics, 340(3), 666–675. https://doi.org/10.1124/jpet.111.189068

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