5-HT2C receptor

335815560ENSG00000147246ENSMUSG00000041380P28335P34968NM_001256761NM_000868NM_001256760NM_008312NP_000859NP_001243689NP_001243690NP_032338The 5-HT2C receptor is a subtype of 5-HT receptor that binds the endogenous neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT). It is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that is coupled to Gq/G11 and mediates excitatory neurotransmission. HTR2C denotes the human gene encoding for the receptor, that in humans is located at the X chromosome. As males have one copy of the gene and in females one of the two copies of the gene is repressed, polymorphisms at this receptor can affect the two sexes to differing extent. The 5-HT2C receptor is a subtype of 5-HT receptor that binds the endogenous neurotransmitter serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT). It is a G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) that is coupled to Gq/G11 and mediates excitatory neurotransmission. HTR2C denotes the human gene encoding for the receptor, that in humans is located at the X chromosome. As males have one copy of the gene and in females one of the two copies of the gene is repressed, polymorphisms at this receptor can affect the two sexes to differing extent. At the cell surface the receptor exists as a homodimer. The crystal structure is known since 2018. 5-HT2C receptors are located mainly in the choroid plexus, and in rats is also found in many other brain regions in high concentrations, including parts of the hippocampus, anterior olfactory nucleus, substantia nigra, several brainstem nuclei, amygdala, subthalamic nucleus and lateral habenula. 5-HT2C receptors are also found on epithelial cells lining the ventricles. The 5-HT2C receptor is one of the many binding sites for serotonin. Activation of this receptor by serotonin inhibits dopamine and norepinephrine release in certain areas of the brain. 5-HT2C receptors are claimed to significantly regulate mood, anxiety, feeding, and reproductive behavior. 5-HT2C receptors regulate dopamine release in the striatum, prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and amygdala, among others. Research indicates that some suicide victims have an abnormally high number of 5-HT2C receptors in the prefrontal cortex. There is some mixed evidence that agomelatine, a 5-HT2C antagonist, is an effective antidepressant. Antagonism of 5-HT2C receptors by agomelatine results in an increase of dopamine and norepinephrine activity in the frontal cortex. Conversely, many SSRIs (but not fluoxetine, which is a 5-HT2C antagonist) indirectly stimulate 5-HT2C activity by increasing levels of serotonin in the synapse although the delayed mood elevation that is usually typical of SSRIs is usually paralleled by the downregulation of the 5-HT2C receptors. Many atypical antipsychotics block 5-HT2C receptors, but their clinical use is limited by multiple undesirable actions on various neurotransmitters and receptors. Fluoxetine acts as a direct 5-HT2C antagonist in addition to inhibiting serotonin reuptake, however, the clinical significance of this action is variable. An overactivity of 5-HT2C receptors may contribute to depressive and anxiety symptoms in a certain population of patients. Activation of 5-HT2C by serotonin is responsible for many of the negative side effects of SSRI and SNRI medications, such as sertraline, paroxetine, venlafaxine, and others. Some of the initial anxiety caused by SSRIs is due to excessive signalling at 5-HT2C. Over a period of 1–2 weeks, the receptor begins to downregulate, along with the downregulation of 5-HT2A, 5-HT1A, and other serotonin receptors. This downregulation parallels the onset of the clinical benefits of SSRIs. 5-HT2C receptors exhibit constitutive activity in vivo, and may retain the ability to influence neurotransmission in the absence of ligand occupancy. Thus, 5-HT2C receptors do not require binding by a ligand (serotonin) in order to exhibit influence on neurotransmission. Inverse agonists may be required to fully extinguish 5-HT2C constitutive activity, and may prove useful in the treatment of 5-HT2C-mediated conditions in the absence of typical serotonin activity. In addition to the evidence for a role of 5-HT2C receptor stimulation in depressive symptoms there also is evidence that activation of 5-HT2C receptors may have beneficial effects upon certain aspects of depression, one group of researchers found that direct stimulation of 5-HT2C receptors with a 5-HT2C agonist reduced cognitive deficits in mice with a TPH2 loss-of-function mutation. 5-HT2C receptors mediate the release and increase of extracellular dopamine in response to many drugs, including caffeine, nicotine, amphetamine, morphine, cocaine, and others. 5-HT2C antagonism increases dopamine release in response to reinforcing drugs, and many dopaminergic stimuli. Feeding, social interaction, and sexual activity all release dopamine subject to inhibition of 5-HT2C. Increased 5-HT2C expression reduces dopamine release in both the presence and absence of stimuli. Conditions that increase cytokine levels in the human body may have potential to raise 5-HT2C gene expression in the brain. This could possibly comprise a link between viral infections and associated depression. Cytokine therapy has been shown to increase 5-HT2C gene expression, resulting in increased activity of 5-HT2C receptors in the brain.