Fluoxetine Suppresses Glutamate- and GABA-Mediated Neurotransmission by Altering SNARE Complex

Overview

Journal Int J Mol Sci

Publisher MDPI

Specialties Biochemistry
Chemistry
Molecular Biology

Date 2019 Sep 5

PMID 31480244

Citations 10

Authors

Vesna Lazarevic

Ioannis Mantas

Ivana Flais

Per Svenningsson

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Major depressive disorder is one of the most common neuropsychiatric disorders worldwide. The treatment of choice that shows good efficacy in mood stabilization is based on selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs). Their primary mechanism of action is considered to be the increased synaptic concentration of serotonin through blockade of the serotonin transporter (SERT). In this study, we described an alternative mode of action of fluoxetine (FLX), which is a representative member of the SSRI class of antidepressants. We observed that FLX robustly decreases both glutamatergic and gamma-Aminobutyric acid (GABA)-ergic synaptic release in a SERT-independent manner. Moreover, we showed that this effect may stem from the ability of FLX to change the levels of main components of the SNARE (solubile -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) complex. Our data suggest that this downregulation of SNARE fusion machinery involves diminished activity of protein kinase C (PKC) due to FLX-induced blockade of P/Q type of voltage-gated calcium channels (VGCCs). Taken together, by virtue of its inhibition at SERT, fluoxetine increases extracellular serotonin levels; however, at the same time, by reducing SNARE complex function, this antidepressant reduces glutamate and GABA release.

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