Abstract
The role of adenosine triphosphatases (ATPases) in neurotransmitter release was studied using nerve terminals (synaptosomes) prepared from rat cerebral cortex as a model. Amitriptyline, nortriptyline, protriptyline, desipramine and imipramine were found to inhibit ATPases at concentrations of 10-5 (M) and above. The drugs inhibited both the basal and electrically evoked release of acetylcholine (ACh) and noradrenaline (NA) at concentrations of 10-4 (M) and above. At low concentrations of antidepressants (10-8 and 10-7 M) release of NA was enhanced but there was no affect on ACh release. Other drugs which inhibit Na+, K+-ATPase increased basal NA release as did drugs which inhibited vesicular Mg2+-ATPase. A model is proposed suggesting that transmitter release/re-uptake depends on (1) active Na+, K+-ATPase at the presynaptic membrane and (2) an active synaptic vesicular Mg2+-ATPase.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 215-225 |
Number of pages | 11 |
Journal | British Journal of Pharmacology |
Volume | 69 |
Issue number | 2 |
Publication status | Published - 1980 |