Enhancement of cyclic AMP accumulation mediated by 5-HT after chronic amitriptyline treatment in NG 108-15 cells

1. The effects of chronic in vitro administration of amitriptyline, a tricyclic antidepressant, on 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) receptor-mediated adenylyl cyclase activity was studied in the neuroblastoma x glioma hybrid cell line, NG 108-15. 2. Treatment of NG 108-15 cells with 8 microM amitriptyline for 3 days increased forskolin-stimulated (0.1 microM) adenosine 3':5'-cyclic monophosphate (cyclic AMP) accumulation. Addition of 5-HT (0.1-100 microM) increased forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in amitriptyline-treated cells in a concentration-dependent manner. However, 5-HT did not affect forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in untreated cells. 3. The 5-HT4 receptor agonist, 5-methoxytryptamine, significantly enhanced forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in amitriptyline-treated cells. In contrast, amitriptyline treatment failed to modify 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamine) tetralin-induced inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation. 4. Pretreatment of cells with pertussis toxin did not affect the 5-HT-induced enhancement of cyclic AMP accumulation. 5. The 5-HT-induced enhancement of cyclic AMP accumulation in amitriptyline-treated cells was attenuated by the 5-HT4 receptor antagonists, GR 113808 and ICS 205-930, with relatively low potency. However, spiperone, SCH 23390, and pindolol were completely ineffective against this 5-HT-induced enhancement. 6. Chronic treatment with amitriptyline did not modify the cyclic AMP production stimulated by prostaglandin E1 or cholera toxin. This treatment also had no effect on GTP gamma S-, NaF-, and Mn(2+)-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation in isolated cell membranes. 7. Chronic treatment with the 5-HT receptor antagonists, pindolol or ICS 205-930, did not inhibit the 5-HT-induced enhancement of cyclic AMP accumulation.8. Chronic treatment with other antidepressant drugs, imipramine, mianserin or paroxetine, elicited the 5-HT-induced enhancement of cyclic AMP accumulation.9. Taken together, these results suggest that chronic amitriptyline treatment of NG 108-15 cells causes 5-HT to enhance forskolin-stimulated cyclic AMP accumulation by enhancing 5-HT receptor-mediated stimulation of adenylyl cyclase and not by reducing 5-HT-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase. The 5-HT-induced enhancement of cyclic AMP accumulation in amitriptyline-treated cells may result from changes at the level of the 5-HT receptor rather than at the level of G, proteins or adenylyl cyclase. It is unlikely that this enhancement of cyclic AMP accumulation is caused by long-term antagonism of the 5-HT receptor by amitriptyline.