5-HT(2A) receptor blockade and 5-HT(2C) receptor activation interact to reduce cocaine hyperlocomotion and Fos protein expression in the caudate-putamen.

Both the 5-HT(2A) receptor (R) antagonist M100907 and the 5-HT(2C) R agonist MK212 attenuate cocaine-induced dopamine release and hyperlocomotion. This study examined whether these drugs interact to reduce cocaine hyperlocomotion and Fos expression in the striatum and prefrontal cortex. We first determined from dose-effect functions a low dose of both M100907 and MK212 that failed to alter cocaine (15 mg/kg, i.

Prostacyclin enhances stretch-induced surfactant secretion in alveolar epithelial type II cells.

Inhalative vasodilator therapy, employing gaseous nitric oxide (NO) or aerosolized prostaglandin PGI(2), is of interest for regional pulmonary vasodilation in ARDS and pulmonary hypertension. We investigated the impact of the NO donor spermine NONOate as well as PGI(2) and its stable chemical analog iloprost on cultured rat alveolar epithelial type II cell (ATII) surfactant secretion. The NO donor provoked a significant increase in the ATII cGMP content, further enhanced by type V phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibition, but affected neither baseline nor mechanical stretch-induced surfactant secretion.