5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine hydrobromide

5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine (5,7-DHT) hydrobromide is a neurotoxin that selectively targets and damages serotonergic (5-HT) and noradrenergic (NE) neurons in the brain. As an autofluorescent serotonin derivative, 5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine hydrobromide binds to high-affinity transporters of these neurons and is selectively uptaken, leading to intracellular metabolism that generates reactive oxygen species. This process results in axon terminal degeneration and depletion of neurochemicals. It is utilized in neuroscience research.

5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine (25 μM; 60 min) hydrobromide specifically labels serotoninergic cells in primary midbrain cultures from 14-day-old Wistar rat embryos, without affecting tyrosine hydroxylase-positive dopaminergic cells. Additionally, 5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine (20 nM; 15 min) hydrobromide causes damage to ascending 5-HT pathways, reducing in vitro uptake of 3H-5-HT in rat cerebral cortical and hypothalamic slices, but does not significantly alter 3H-NA uptake.

5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine hydrobromide (8 μg; administered bilaterally via stereotaxic infusion into the nucleus accumbens over 2 minutes) induces behavior resembling auditory hypersensitivity in Wistar rats, shown by a significant increase in the amplitude of the auditory startle reflex in a noise-free environment. In C57BL/6 mice, 5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine hydrobromide (12.5-50 μg; i.c.v.) causes dose-dependent depletion of norepinephrine and serotonin in the hippocampus. Furthermore, 5,7-Dihydroxytryptamine hydrobromide (4 µg per injection site; stereotaxic injection; 1 µL/min) selectively damages ascending 5-HT pathways, reducing 3H-5-HT uptake in cortical and hypothalamic terminal regions without affecting 3H-NA uptake, provoking muricide, increasing shock-induced boxing stance, reducing sensory stimulus habituation rate, while showing no significant change in home-cage activities.