Serotonergic regulation of the brain and gut beta-endorphin and dynorphin content in the rat

A specific radioimmunoassay was used to measure immunoreactive dynorphin (ir-DYN) and beta-endorphin (ir-BE) in the brain, pituitary and gut, following a pharmacological manipulation of the serotonin system. Administration of the serotonin receptor agonist m-chlorophenylpiperazine (m-CPP, 2.5-5 mg/kg ip) or the serotonin releasing agent fenfluramine (20-40 mg/kg ip) induced a significant increase in the hypothalamic ir-BE content and a decrease in its anterior pituitary level. These effects were antagonized by cyproheptadine (1 mg/kg ip). Similar results were obtained after fluvoxamine (15 mg/kg ip), femoxetine (10 mg/kg ip) and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP 40-160 mg/kg ip). None of the above treatments altered significantly the ir-DYN content in the brain and pituitary. However, the gut ir-DYN level was dramatically decreased after m-CPP, fenfluramine, fluvoxamine, femoxetine and 5-HTP. The latter effect was antagonized by cyproheptadine. The obtained results suggest that serotonergic activation stimulates the release of beta-endorphin from the anterior pituitary and dynorphin from the gut, while the cerebral beta-endorphin system appears to be inhibited by activation of serotonin neurons.