Effect of calmodulin antagonists on calcium and ethanol-induced sleeping time in mice

This investigation was carried out to determine if calcium prolongation of ethanol-induced sleep is mediated by calmodulin and a calmodulin-dependent protein kinase. The duration of ethanol-induced sleeping time in ddY male mice was measured following the administration of CaCl2 (20, 40, 80 and 200 mumol/kg, intraperitoneally (IP) both with and without the calmodulin antagonists, W-7: [N-(6-Aminohexyl)-5-chloro-1-naphthalenesulfonamide] (4.2 micrograms/mouse, intraventricular (IVT) or trifluoperazine (TFP; 1.8 micrograms/mouse, IVT). When CaCl2 was administered in a dose dependent manner the duration of ethanol-induced sleep was prolonged. The prolongation was antagonized by W-7 and TFP. When mice were treated with W-7 or TFP together with serotonin (5-HT; 15 nmol/mouse, IVT), dopamine (DA; 30 nmol/mouse, IVT) or norepinephrine (NE; 30 nmol/mouse, IVT), the sleeping time induced by ethanol and calcium was enhanced. This finding suggests that W-7 and TFP selectively inhibit the synthesis of 5-HT, DA and NE, but they do not affect other neuronal functions of these biogenic amines. The results would suggest a probable mechanism in which Ca++ prolongs ethanol-induced sleeping time by activating tyrosine hydroxylase and tryptophan hydroxylase through intracerebral calmodulin and calmodulin-dependent protein kinase, which subsequently raise the levels of 5-HT, DA and NE.