Subchronic administration and combination metabotropic glutamate and GABAB receptor drug therapy in fragile X syndrome

J Pharmacol Exp Ther. 2011 Sep;338(3):897-905. doi: 10.1124/jpet.111.183327. Epub 2011 Jun 2.

Abstract

The most common cause of inherited mental retardation, fragile X syndrome, results from a triplet repeat expansion in the FMR1 gene and loss of the mRNA binding protein, fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). In the absence of FMRP, signaling through group I metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) is enhanced. We previously proposed a mechanism whereby the audiogenic seizures exhibited by FMR1 null mice result from an imbalance in excitatory mGluR and inhibitory GABA(B) receptor (GABA(B)R) signaling (Mol Pharmacol 76:18-24, 2009). Here, we tested the mGluR5-positive allosteric modulator 3-cyano-N-(1,3-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)benzamide (CDPPB), the mGluR5 inverse agonist 2-methyl-6-(phenylethynyl)pyridine (MPEP), and GABA(B) receptor agonists, alone and in combination on receptor protein expression and audiogenic seizures in FMR1 mice. Single doses of MPEP (30 mg/kg), the GABA(B)R orthosteric agonist R-baclofen (1 mg/kg), or the GABA(B)R-positive allosteric modulator N,N'-dicyclopentyl-2-(methylthio)-5-nitro-4,6-pyrimidine diamine (GS-39783) (30 mg/kg), reduced the incidence of seizures. However, when administered subchronically (daily injections for 6 days), MPEP retained its anticonvulsant activity, whereas R-baclofen and GS-39783 did not. When administered at lower doses that had no effect when given alone, a single injection of MPEP plus R-baclofen also reduced seizures, but the effect was lost after subchronic administration. We were surprised to find that subchronic treatment with R-baclofen also induced tolerance to a single high dose of MPEP. These data demonstrate that tolerance develops rapidly to the antiseizure properties of R-baclofen alone and R-baclofen coadministered with MPEP, but not with MPEP alone. Our findings suggest that cross-talk between the G-protein signaling pathways of these receptors affects drug efficacy after repeated treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Anticonvulsants / pharmacology
  • Baclofen / administration & dosage
  • Baclofen / pharmacology
  • Benzamides / administration & dosage
  • Benzamides / pharmacology
  • Blotting, Western
  • Cyclopentanes / administration & dosage
  • Cyclopentanes / pharmacology
  • Drug Interactions
  • Drug Tolerance
  • Epilepsy, Reflex / prevention & control
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists / pharmacology
  • Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein / genetics*
  • Fragile X Syndrome / drug therapy*
  • GABA Agonists / administration & dosage
  • GABA Agonists / pharmacology
  • GABA Modulators / administration & dosage
  • GABA Modulators / pharmacology
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Pyrazoles / administration & dosage
  • Pyrazoles / pharmacology
  • Pyridines / administration & dosage
  • Pyridines / pharmacology
  • Pyrimidines / administration & dosage
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • Receptors, GABA-B / drug effects*
  • Receptors, Kainic Acid / drug effects
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate / agonists*

Substances

  • 3-cyano-N-(1,3-diphenyl-1H-pyrazol-5-yl)benzamide
  • Anticonvulsants
  • Benzamides
  • Cyclopentanes
  • Excitatory Amino Acid Antagonists
  • Fmr1 protein, mouse
  • GABA Agonists
  • GABA Modulators
  • Gluk1 kainate receptor
  • N,N'-dicyclopentyl-2-methylsulfanyl-5-nitro-pyrimidine-4,6-diamine
  • Pyrazoles
  • Pyridines
  • Pyrimidines
  • Receptors, GABA-B
  • Receptors, Kainic Acid
  • Receptors, Metabotropic Glutamate
  • Fragile X Mental Retardation Protein
  • 6-methyl-2-(phenylethynyl)pyridine
  • Baclofen