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Convergence of melatonin and serotonin (5-HT) signaling at MT2/5-HT2C receptor heteromers.

The Journal of biological chemistry
January 1, 1970
Maud Kamal et al. (14 authors)
Journal ArticleResearch Support, Non-U.S. Gov'tHuman StudyMolecular Study
Extracted Claims (5)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
melatonin MT2 and 5-HT2C receptor heteromer formation
increase
5-HT-mediated Gq/phospholipase C response
transfected cells and human cortex and hippocampus
-
amplified
#1
melatonin
increase
5-HT2C protomer of MT2/5-HT2C heteromers
transfected cells and human cortex and hippocampus
-
triggered unidirectional transactivation
#2
agomelatine
neutral
MT2/5-HT2C heteromers
-
-
shows biased signaling
#3
agomelatine
neutral
MT2/5-HT2C heteromers
patients with major depression and generalized anxiety disorder
-
has a distinctive profile
#4
MT2/5-HT2C heteromers
neutral
discovery of novel agents for treatment of psychiatric disorders
-
-
provide a new strategy
#5
Abstract

Inasmuch as the neurohormone melatonin is synthetically derived from serotonin (5-HT), a close interrelationship between both has long been suspected. The present study reveals a hitherto unrecognized cross-talk mediated via physical association of melatonin MT2 and 5-HT2C receptors into functional heteromers. This is of particular interest in light of the "synergistic" melatonin agonist/5-HT2C antagonist profile of the novel antidepressant agomelatine. A suite of co-immunoprecipitation, bioluminescence resonance energy transfer, and pharmacological techniques was exploited to demonstrate formation of functional MT2 and 5-HT2C receptor heteromers both in transfected cells and in human cortex and hippocampus. MT2/5-HT2C heteromers amplified the 5-HT-mediated Gq/phospholipase C response and triggered melatonin-induced unidirectional transactivation of the 5-HT2C protomer of MT2/5-HT2C heteromers. Pharmacological studies revealed distinct functional properties for agomelatine, which shows "biased signaling." These observations demonstrate the existence of functionally unique MT2/5-HT2C heteromers and suggest that the antidepressant agomelatine has a distinctive profile at these sites potentially involved in its therapeutic effects on major depression and generalized anxiety disorder. Finally, MT2/5-HT2C heteromers provide a new strategy for the discovery of novel agents for the treatment of psychiatric disorders.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AcetamidesArrestinsDrug SynergismGene Expression RegulationHEK293 CellsHeLa CellsHumansMelatoninProtein MultimerizationProtein Structure, QuaternaryProtein TransportReceptor, Melatonin, MT1Receptor, Melatonin, MT2Receptor, Serotonin, 5-HT2CSerotoninSignal TransductionTranscriptional ActivationType C Phospholipasesbeta-Arrestins
Study Links
PubMed ID25770211
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