• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.111-116
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• 2008

A piperazinylalkylisoxazole library containing 86 compounds was constructed and evaluated for the binding affinities to dopamine (D3) and serotonin (5-HT2A/2C) receptor to develop antipsychotics. Dopamine antagonists (DA) showing selectivity for D3 receptor over the D2 receptor, serotonin antagonists (SA), and serotonin-dopamine dual antagonists (SDA) were identified based on their binding affinity and selectivity. The analogues were divided into three groups of 7 DAs (D3), 33 SAs (5-HT2A/2C), and 46 SDAs (D3 and 5-HT2A/2C). A classification model was generated for identifying structural characteristics of those antagonists with different affinity profiles. On the basis of the results from our previous study, we conducted the generation of the decision trees by the recursive-partitioning (RP) method using Cerius2 2D descriptors, and identified and interpreted the descriptors that discriminate in-house antipsychotic compounds.

• Journal of Integrative Natural Science
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.128-135
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• 2016

5-hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) receptor ($5-HT_7R$) 7 is one of G-Protein coupled receptors, which is activated by the neurotransmitter Serotonin. After activation by serotonin, $5-HT_7$ activates the production of the intracellular signaling molecule cyclic AMP. $5-HT_7$ receptor has been found to be involved in the pathophysiology of various disorders. It is reported that $5-HT_7$ receptor antagonists can be used as antidepressant agents. In this study, we report the important structural and chemical parameters for 2-methoxyphenylpiperazinylakanamides as $5-HT_7R$ inhibitors. A 3D QSAR study based on comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) was performed. The best predictions were obtained for the best CoMFA model with $q^2$ of 0.594 with 6 components, $r^2$ of 0.986, Fisher value as 60.607, and an estimated standard error of 0.043. The predictive ability of the test set was 0.602. Results obtained the CoMFA models suggest that the data are well fitted and have high predictive ability. The contour maps are generated and studied. The contour analyses may serve as tool in the future for designing of novel and more potent $5-HT_7R$ derivatives.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.113-117
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• 2005

Background: Serotonin 3 receptor is involved in the modulation of nociceptive transmission in the spinal cord. The serotonin 3 receptor antagonist has been used for the management of opioid-induced nausea and vomiting. The aim of this study was to examine whether the analgesic effect of morphine is antagonized by serotonin 3 receptor antagonists at the spinal level. Methods: Rats were implanted with lumbar intrathecal catheters. For nociception, a formalin solution (5%, $50{\mu}l$) was injected into the hind paw of male Sprague-Dawley rats. To determine whether the effect of intrathecal morphine was mediated via serotonin 3 receptors, serotonin 3 receptor antagonists were intrathecally administered 10 min prior to the morphine delivery. Following the formalin injection, formalin-induced nociceptive behavior (flinching response) was observed for 60 min. Results: Intrathecal morphine produced a dose-dependent suppression of the flinches in both phases during the formalin test. The analgesic action of morphine was not reversed by serotonin 3 receptor antagonists (LY-278,584, ondansetron), which had little per se effect on the formalin-induced nociception. Conclusions: Spinal serotonin 3 receptors may not be involved in the analgesia of morphine on a nociceptive state evoked by a formalin stimulus.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.299-305
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• 2008

Active cardiovascular anaphylactic response was induced in ovalbumin-sensitized, pithed Sprague-Dawley and Wistar rats. On intravenous administration of the antigen, ovalbumin, marked tachycardia and pressor responses were immediately elicited. Thereafter, a delayed long-lasting severe hypotensive response was observed. These anaphylactic cardiovascular responses were maximal 2-3 weeks after the sensitization, and the response was slightly diminished 6 weeks after sensitization. The immediate pressor response was blocked by a non-selective serotonin antagonist methysergide at a dose-dependent manner, but not by histamine receptor antagonists mepyramine (pyrilamine) or cimetidine. The delayed hypotension was reduced either by histamine $H_1$ receptor antagonist mepyramine or $H_2$ receptor antagonist cimetidine, both in a dose-dependent manner. The tachycardic response was not influenced by serotonin or histamine receptor antagonists examined in this study. Differently from the cardiovascular responses, there was no observable bronchial contraction in Sprague-Dawley rat trachea in contrast to Wistar rat where the trachea contracted to in vitro antigen challenge. The cardiovascular anaphylactic model seems to be useful for studying cardiovascular events that occur exclusively in peripheral heart-blood vessel systems. The involvement of two major anaphylactic mediators, serotonin and histamine, is partially demonstrated.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.285-291
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• 2007

The 5-HT6 antagonists are mainly related to the treatment of cognitive dysfunction or impairment associated with Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. There have been lots of efforts to develop 5-HT6 antagonists. As in our efforts, arylsulfonylpiperazine derivatives 1-3 were designed, synthesized and biologically evaluated against the human recombinant 5-HT6 serotonin receptor. Total 36 compounds were synthesized and the most active compound among the synthesized compounds is compound 2h with an IC50 value of 1.5 μM. The compound 2h is novel as 5-HT6 receptor ligand and could act as lead for the novel 5-HT6 receptor ligands.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.22-29
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• 1996

The introduction of chlorpromazine in the 1950's revolutionized the treatment of schizophrenia and ultimately led to the development of selective $D_2$ antagonists such as haloperidol, a goal in keeping with the prevalent theories at that time. However, limitations in the efficacy of these agents, a growing awareness of their side effects, and theoretical shifts in our understanding of schizophrenia have encouraged ongoing efforts to develop better 'atypical' antipsychotics. Clozapine, and subsequently risperidone, represent examples of these novel compounds, both of which incorporate shared serotonin-dopamine antagonism(SDA). The next years will be dominated by further development of SDA compounds, although a number of other lines of investigation are also being pursued.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.107-113
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• 2005

Purpose:In an attempt to predict the interpersonal differences of therapeutic response to antipsychotic drugs on pharmaco-genetic bases, this study was designed to investigate the relationship between the therapeutic response to antipsychotic drugs and Taq I A dopamine $D_2$ receptor polymorphism in schizophrenic patients. Methods:The subjects were 158 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia(DSM-IV). The therapeutic response to antipsychotic drugs was evaluated using the Treatment Response Scale(TRS) retrospectively. Patients were divided into two groups, dopamine receptor antagonist responders, and serotonin-dopamine antagonist responders. The patients' Taq I A dopamine $D_2$ receptor polymorphism was determined by polymerase chain reaction(PCR) and restriction fragment length polymorphism(RFLP). Results:The dopamine receptor antagonist responders had the A1 allele in significantly higher incidences (${\chi}^2$(1)=4.875, p=0.027, two-tailed). No significant difference was found among the serotonin-dopamine antagonist responders between those with or without the A1 allele. Conclusions:The patients with the A1 allele responded better to dopamine receptor antagonists than those with no A1 allele. Based on these results, it is suggested that the pharmacological effect of dopamine receptor antagonists can be predicted depending on the presence of the A1 allele in schizophrenic patients.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.14-25
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• 2004

The current understanding of the mechanisms of pharmacotherapy for depression is characterized by an emphasis on increasing synaptic availability of serotonin, noradrenaline, and possibly dopamine, while minimizing side effects. The acute effects of current available effective antidepressants include blocking selective serotonin or noradrenaline reuptake, alpha2 autoreceptors or monoamine oxidase. Although efficacious, current treatments often produce partial or limited symptomatic improvement rather than remission. While current pharmacotherapies target monoaminergic systems, distinct neurobiological underpinnings and other systems are likely involved in the pathogenesis of depression. Recently, several promising hypotheses of depression and antidepressant action have been formulated. These hypotheses are largely based on dsyregulation of neural plasticity, CREB, BDNF, corticotropin-releasing factor, glucocorticoid, hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal axis and cytokines. Based on these new theories and hypotheses of depression, a number of new and novel agents, including corticotropin-releasing factor antagonists, antiglucocorticoids, and substance P antagonists show a considerable promise for refining treatment options for depression. In this article, the current available pharmacotherapies, current understanding of neurobiology and pathogenesis of depression and new and promising directions in pharmacological research on depression will be discussed.

• Archives of Pharmacal Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.113-118
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• 1999

Previous work in our laboratory has shown that the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor antagonists, AP-5, CPP, MK-801, ketamine, dextrorphan and dextromethorphan cause a pronounced enhancement of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)-induced head-twitch response (HTR) in intact mice, suggesting the involvement of NMDA receptors in the glutamatergic modulation of serotonergic function at the postsynaptic $5-HT_{2}$ receptors. The purpose of this study was to extend our previous work on the behavioral interaction between glutamatergic and serotonergic receptors. In the present study, both competitive (AP-5 and CPP) and noncompeti-tive (MI-801, ketamine, dextrorphan and dextromethorphan) NMDA receptor antagonists markedly enhanced 5-HT-induced selective serotonergic behavior, HTR, in p-chlorophenylalanine (PCPA)-treated mice which were devoid of any involvement of indirect serotonergic function, to establish the involvement of the NMDA receptor in 5-HT-induced HTR at the postsyaptic $5-HT_{2}$receptors. In addition, the enhancement of 5-HT-induced HTR was inhibited by a dopamine agonist, apomorphine, NMDA receptor antagonist, NMDA and a serotonin $5-HT_{2}$receptor antagonist, cyproheptadine, in PCPA-treated mice. Therefore, the present results support our previous conclusion that the NMDA receptors play an important role in the glutamatergic modulation of serotonergic function at the poststynaptic $5-HT_{2}$ receptors.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.497-503
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• 2017

Recent reports claimed that glucosylsphingosine (GS) is highly accumulated and specifically evoking itch-scratch responses in the skins of atopic dermatitis (AD) patients. However, it was unclear how GS can trigger itch-scratch responses, since there were no known molecular singling pathways revealed yet. In the present study, it was verified for the first time that GS can activate mouse serotonin receptor 2a (mHtr2a) and 2b (mHtr2b), but not 2c (mHtr2c) that are expressed in HEK293T cells. Specifically, effects of GS on all mouse serotonin receptor 2 subfamily were evaluated by calcium imaging techniques. The GS-induced intracellular calcium increase was dose-dependent, and antagonists such as ketanserin (Htr2a antagonist) and RS-127445 (Htr2b antagonist) significantly blocked the GS-induced responses. Moreover, the proposed GS-induced responses appear to be mediated by phospholipase C (PLC), since pretreatment of a PLC inhibitor U-73122 abolished the GS-induced responses. Additionally, the GS-induced calcium influx is probably mediated by endogenous TRPC ion channels in HEK293T cells, since pretreatment of SKF-96365, an inhibitor for TRPC, significantly suppressed GS-induced response. In conclusion, the present study revealed for the first time that GS can stimulate mHtr2a and mHtr2b to induce calcium influx, by utilizing PLC-dependent pathway afterwards. Considering that GS is regarded as a pruritogen in AD, the present study implicates a novel GS-induced itch signaling pathway.