Subtypes of brain somatostatin receptors couple to multiple cellular effector systems.

To investigate whether somatostatin (SRIF) receptor subpopulations mediate different physiological actions of SRIF, we tested the effects of SRIF and the SRIF agonists MK 678 and CGP 23996 on different biological responses in rat neocortical neurons in culture. Neocortical cells in culture express SRIF receptors that can be labeled with 125I-MK 678 and 125I-CGP 23996. Pharmacological analysis of the binding sites indicates that the radioligands label SRIF receptor subtypes with distinct pharmacological characteristics. These receptor subpopulations are similar to those expressed in adult rat brain. SRIF, MK 678, and CGP 23996 are able to inhibit forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in rat neocortical membranes by 25-30%. Furthermore, they inhibit a high voltage-activated Ca2+ current in rat neocortical neurons in culture by 25-35%. Both SRIF and MK 678 potentiate a delayed rectifier K+ current in rat neocortical neurons in culture by 25-30%. In contrast, high concentrations of CGP 23996 do not alter the K+ current. In cells that do not respond to CGP 23996, MK 678 increases the delayed rectifier K+ current. The findings of these studies indicate that rat neocortical neurons in culture express functionally distinct SRIF receptor subtypes that can be differentially activated by SRIF agonists.