Doxepin, a tricyclic antidepressant, binds to normal, intact astroglial cells in cultures and inhibits the isoproterenol-induced increase in cylic AMP production

Abstract

Doxepin binds to intact [mouse] astrocytes in primary cultures. The binding is competitively displaceable by excess cold doxepin and it is pronounced (Bmax [maximum number of binding sites] = 27 nmol/mg protein), but the affinity is rather low (Kd = 30 .mu.M). The binding is inhibited by other antidepressants (amitriptyline, desipramine, tranylcypromine, iprindole) and propranolol but not by isoproterenol. Doxepin counteracts effectively the increase in the production of cAMP evoked by isoproterenol.