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Characteristics of rat kidney dopamine receptors and the effects of renal denervation and dopamine infusion on these receptors.

The characteristics of dopamine receptors, as well as the effects of denervation and dopamine infusion on dopamine receptors were studied using the radiolabeled receptor assay of [3H]-spiperone on rat kidney membrane preparations. The rat renal cortex was found to have a single class of [3H]-spiperone binding sites with a dissociation constant (Kd) of 13.5 +/- 2.2 nM. However, neither sulpiride nor serotonin strongly interacted with [3H]-spiperone binding, suggesting that DA1 receptors were predominant in the rat renal cortex. Denervation was performed by surgically stripping the nerves from the renal artery and coating them with 10% phenol. Chronic denervation had no significant effect on the affinity or maximum binding capacity of the renal dopamine receptors, although diuresis and the disappearance of catecholamine fluorophores in the denervated rats were observed. Chronic infusion of dopamine was performed using an osmotic minipump, resulting in a decrease in the number of rat kidney dopamine receptors. These results suggest that the dopamine receptor subtype in the renal cortex was mainly DA1, and that the major source of dopamine which affected the dopamine receptors in the rat kidney was not the nerve ending, but rather the circulation.

Animals↗

AMPA receptor blockade potentiates the stimulatory effect of L-DOPA on dopamine release in dopamine-deficient corticostriatal slice preparation.

The release of [3H]dopamine was measured in rat corticostriatal slice preparations that contained the striatum and the adjacent prefrontal cortex to maintained glutamatergic corticostriatal afferentation. These slices were prepared from either nontreated or 6-hydroxydopamine-pretreated rats. The slices were loaded with [3H]dopamine, submerged in a two-compartment bath so that the cortical region was contained in one compartment, the corpus callosum was passed through a silicone greased slot, and the striatal region was contained in the other compartment. The cortical and the striatal parts were superfused with Krebs-bicarbonate buffer independently. The release of [3H]dopamine was determined from the striatal part at rest and in response to electrical stimulation of the cortical area. Electrical stimulation of the cortical part increased the release of [3H]dopamine from the striatal part of the slices, and this release was found to be higher after lesion of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway with 6-hydroxydopamine. Cortically evoked [3H]dopamine release was even higher in the presence of the dopamine precursor L-DOPA after 6-hydroxdopamine lesion. Perfusion of GYKI-53405, a noncompetitive AMPA receptor antagonist, in combination with L-DOPA further increased both basal and stimulation-evoked [3H]dopamine release, whereas GYKI-53405 by itself did not influence basal [3H]dopamine outflow from striatum. These findings indicate that, in parkinsonian striatum, the stimulatory effect of L-DOPA on dopamine release is potentiated by AMPA receptor blockade, and the antiparkinsonian effect of GYKI-53405 may be due to its L-DOPA sparing effect.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗

Characterization of the inhibitory effect of adrenocorticotropin/melanocyte-stimulating hormone-like peptides on the binding of dopamine receptor ligands to the dopamine D2 receptor in vitro.

Adrenocorticotropin (ACTH)-(1-24) decreased the binding of the dopamine D2 agonist [3H]N-n-propylnorapomorphine [3H](NPA) to the dopamine D2 receptor in rat striatal membranes in vitro. The association and dissociation of [3H]NPA to the dopamine D2 receptor was inhibited by ACTH-(1-24), suggesting an apparent competitive interaction between ACTH-(1-24) and the binding of [3H]NPA. ACTH-(1-24) was able to inhibit the binding of the dopamine D2 receptor antagonist [3H]spiperone to the dopamine D2 receptor, both in the high- and the low-affinity state. These observations suggest a G-protein-independent mechanism of action. The inhibitory effect of ACTH-(1-24) and ACTH-(7-16)-NH2 was diminished after the addition of polylysine chains, presumably via a blockade of the attachment sites for ACTH-(1-24) on the dopamine D2 receptor. The effect of ACTH-(1-24) on membrane fluidity and on the inhibition of the binding of [3H]NPA to the dopamine D2 receptor appeared to be unrelated because lowering the incubation temperature from 25 degrees C to 4 degrees C, which causes a strong decrease of membrane fluidity, did not diminish the effect of ACTH-(1-24) on the binding of [3H]NPA to the dopamine D2 receptor. Furthermore, in both young and old rats, whose membranes are reported to differ in lipid composition and membrane fluidity, ACTH-(1-24) inhibited the binding of [3H]NPA to the dopamine D2 receptor to nearly the same extent.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenocorticotropic Hormone↗

Dopamine stimulated glycosylation of brain proteins in vitro is inhibited only partially by dopamine receptor antagonists.

Dopaminergic agonists which act on adenylate cyclase-linked dopamine receptor sites (D1-type) (dopamine, apomorphine and ADTN) induced a dose-dependent increase in the incorporation of L-fucose and D-mannose into glycoproteins of hippocampal, striatal and cortical slices of rat and mouse brain, whilst in rat liver slices dopamine failed to elicit such alterations in protein glycosylation. Testing in slices of rat hippocampus dopaminergic agonists with selective affinity to D2-receptors (bromocriptine, ergometrine) no changes in sugar incorporation into glycoproteins of rat hippocampus were observed. Dopamine stimulated L-fucose incorporation into rat hippocampal glycoproteins was inhibited to a different degree, but almost incompletely by dopamine receptor antagonists like haloperidol, D-butaclamol, promazine and alpha-flupenthixol, whilst chloropromazine and the selective D2-receptor antagonist sulpiride were without any effects. Also serotonin receptor antagonists (cinanserine) and beta-adrenergic receptor blockers (pindolol, alprenolol, practolol) failed to interfere with this dopamine action. But D,L-propranolol enhanced dopamine stimulated glycosylation of rat hippocampal proteins in an additive synergistic manner. This effect appeared to be not related to the antagonistic action of propranolol on beta-adrenergic receptor sites. From our results it is concluded that interactions with dopamine receptor sites (D1-type) is only one part of the mechanism triggering dopamine stimulated glycosylation of brain proteins in vitro.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

Zinc modulation of drug binding, cocaine affinity states, and dopamine uptake on the dopamine uptake complex.

Zinc plays an important role in synaptic function in the brain. Zinc is present in synaptic vesicles, is released with neuronal activity, and provides modulation of different neurotransmitter systems. Zinc altered characteristics of the dopamine uptake complex in rat caudate-putamen. The density of the dopamine uptake complex labeled with [3H]GBR 12935 (0.25 nM) was increased by up to 215% in the presence of zinc (10 microM), compared with control. Augmentation of binding occurred with concentrations of zinc from 0.5 to 100 microM. This effect on the dopamine uptake complex was due to a 65% decrease in the equilibrium dissociation constant for [3H]GBR 12935 without a significant change in the total number of binding sites. The presence of exogenous zinc (50 microM) increased the percentage of high affinity sites for cocaine from 73 +/- 4% to 90 +/- 1% and decreased the high affinity constant from 2250 +/- 880 nM to 890 +/- 150 nM. Similar effects of zinc occurred with the cocaine congener 2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-(fluorophenyl)tropane. Zinc inhibited dopamine uptake into synaptosomes at concentrations from 0.5 to 100 microM. Zinc (0.5 and 1 microM) augmented cocaine inhibition of uptake by 58-79%. Modulation of drug binding to the dopamine uptake complex is another role for zinc in the central nervous system. Sulfhydryl oxidation of the dopamine uptake complex by certain metal cations (Cu2+, Hg2+, and Cd2+) or N-methylmaleimide reduced binding of [3H]GBR 12935 to the dopamine uptake complex. The sulfhydryl oxidation by N-methylmaleimide was blocked by coincubation with dithiothreitol and dopamine uptake blockers. These data support the existence of a sulfhydryl group involved in binding of uptake blockers to the dopamine uptake complex.

Animals↗

Irreversible receptor inactivation reveals differences in dopamine receptor reserve between A9 and A10 dopamine systems: an electrophysiological analysis.

Partial receptor inactivation was used as a tool to examine whether differences in receptor reserve exist between the dopamine receptor populations which mediate responses of substantia nigra (A9) and ventral tegmental area (A10) dopamine neurons to dopamine agonist drugs. The irreversible receptor inactivator, N-ethoxycarbonyl-2-ethoxy-1,2- dihydroquinoline (EEDQ), was administered to rats intraperitoneally at a dose of 6 mg/kg (in an ethanol-water vehicle). Approximately 24 h after EEDQ treatments, extracellular, single-unit recording experiments were carried out. In the first series of experiments, dose-response curves were constructed for the inhibition of A9 and A10 dopamine cell firing by intravenous administration of the potent dopamine agonist, R-(-)-N-n-propylnorapomorphine (NPA). For the A9 dopamine cell group, EEDQ pretreatments caused a 3-fold rightward shift in the NPA dose-response curve (ED50S, 0.3 vs 0.8 micrograms/kg for vehicle- and EEDQ-treated rats, respectively), but there was no change in the maximum attainable response (greater than 95% inhibition of cell firing). For A10 neurons, the same EEDQ treatments produced a greater rightward shift in the dose-response curve to NPA (ED50s, 0.6 vs 5.4 micrograms/kg for vehicle- and EEDQ-treated rats), and also depressed the maximum response by about 25% relative to the control (vehicle) curve. The dose-response curves from each region were subjected to Furchgott analysis to determine relative receptor occupancy-response relationships for NPA. For the A9 system, a steep, hyperbolic occupancy-response plot revealed that a 50% inhibitory response required only 4% receptor occupancy, while complete (greater than 95%) inhibition of cell firing required about 30% occupancy. This suggests about a 70% receptor reserve for this agonist in inhibiting A9 dopamine cell firing. The occupancy-response curve for A10 cells was less steep with 50% and maximal (greater than 95%) responses occurring when 11 and 70% of receptors were occupied by the agonist, indicating only about a 30% reserve for A10 cell responses to NPA. While the level of 'spare' receptors differed substantially between the two areas, calculated pseudo-KA values were similar (7.7 micrograms/kg for A9 cells and 5.5 micrograms/kg for A10 cells), suggesting no regional differences in receptor affinity. To explore where the differences in receptor reserve might reside, a second series of studies evaluated the effects of iontophoretically applied dopamine and NPA on both cell groups in vehicle- and EEDQ-treated rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Animals↗

Transient loss of dopamine autoreceptor control in the presence of highly potent dopamine agonists.

The concentrations of endogenous ligands generally remain in a bounded range around a basal level, a manifestation of control. The dopaminergic system is an excellent example of a control system in which a negative feedback signal is associated with receptor occupancy of a D2-like dopamine autoreceptor. A consequence of the control theory is that autoreceptor occupancy by an agonist results in dopamine levels below the basal, whereas similar stimulation by a dopamine competitive antagonist results in an increase of dopamine to levels above the basal. These consequences of control theory were tested and verified in the rat striatum by infusing graded doses of either the agonist, quinpirole, or the antagonist, sulpiride, into the rat striatum via a microdialysis probe and sampling dopamine and metabolite levels at various times after the start of infusion. Control was maintained even at the very highest doses of these compounds, i.e., striatal dopamine concentration rose in response to the antagonist and fell in response to the agonist. In contrast, administration of each of two high affinity dopamine agonists, 7-OH-DPAT and PPHT showed dose-dependent control only up to certain doses. Above these doses the dopamine concentration actually increased to levels well above basal, an indication of loss of control. These findings suggest that the control of this endogenous ligand does not extend to the very highest levels of autoreceptor occupancy.

Animals↗

Strain differences of dopamine receptor levels and dopamine related behaviors in rats.

Here we have investigated whether differences in levels of dopamine D1-like, D2-like receptors, dopamine D3 receptors, and dopamine transporter could be related to behaviors such as immobility response and locomotion between Wistar rats and Sprague-Dawley rats. The levels of the dopamine receptors and transporter were measured by autoradiographic study at the level of basal ganglia and the limbic subregion. The behavioral study was done by open-field and immobility response tests. The Wistar rats exhibited a higher level of D1 receptor binding in the basal ganglia subregions than Sprague-Dawley rats. The Wistar rats have higher levels of dopamine D2 receptor binding and dopamine transporter binding in the dorsolateral part of the caudate-putamen. In addition, the dopamine transporter binding were also higher in the Wistar rats than in Sprague-Dawley rats in the ventral part of the caudate-putamen and nucleus accumbens core. However, there were no differences in the level of D3 receptor binding in the limbic or basal ganglia subregions between these two strains. In Wistar rats, the duration of the immobility responses was longer and with less locomotor activity after these immobility responses compared with Sprague-Dawley rats. These data suggest that the differences in dopamine receptors in these two rat strains may in part relate to the behavioral differences reported in these two strains.

Analysis of Variance↗

D1 but not D2 dopamine receptors or adrenoceptors mediate dopamine-induced potentiation of N-methyl-d-aspartate currents in the rat prefrontal cortex.

Dopamine-glutamate interactions in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) are associated with higher order cognitive functions, and are involved in the pathophysiology of schizophrenia and addiction. Recordings with intracellular sharp microelectrodes and patch-clamp pipettes were used to investigate these interactions in layer V pyramidal cells of brain slices obtained from the rat PFC. Dopamine (100 microM) potentiated N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA; 10mM)-evoked depolarizations, but did not change those elicited by alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-4-propionic acid (AMPA; 1mM). Dopamine (100 microM) increased the amplitude of the NMDA (30 microM)-induced currents as well, and 1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-(1H)-3-benzazepine-7,8-diol (SKF 38393; 1, 10 microM), a D(1) receptor agonist, concentration-dependently reproduced this effect. Furthermore, 7-chloro-8-hydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-(1H)-3-benzapine hydrochloride (SCH 23390; 10 microM), a D(1) receptor antagonist, reversed both the dopamine- and the SKF 38393-evoked potentiation. The D(2) receptor agonists lisuride and quinpirole (10 microM both), as well as noradrenaline (100 microM) failed to mimic the stimulatory effect of dopamine. Isoproterenol (1, 10 microM) concentration-dependently facilitated NMDA responses. However, neither this effect at 10 microM nor that of dopamine at 100 microM could be antagonized by propranolol (10 microM), a non-selective beta adrenoceptor blocker. The isoproterenol-induced facilitation of NMDA currents was abolished by SCH 23390 (10 microM). The results indicate that dopamine potentiates NMDA responses in layer V pyramidal cells of the PFC solely by activating D(1) receptors. D(2) receptors and alpha or beta adrenoceptors are not involved in the dopamine-NMDA interaction.

Animals↗

Stimulation of dopamine receptors in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus of male rats induces penile erection and increases extra-cellular dopamine in the nucleus accumbens: Involvement of central oxytocin.

The effect of a pro-erectile dose of apomorphine, a mixed dopamine receptor agonist, and of PD-168077 (N-[4-(2-cyanophenyl)piperazin-1-ylmethyl]-3-methylbenzamide maleate), a selective dopamine D4 receptor agonist, injected into the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus on the concentration of extra-cellular dopamine and its main metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) in the dialysate from the nucleus accumbens was studied in male rats. As expected, apomorphine (0.1microg) and PD-168077 (0.1microg) induced penile erection episodes, which occurred concomitantly to an increase in extra-cellular dopamine and DOPAC concentration in the dialysate from the shell of the nucleus accumbens, as measured by intracerebral microdialysis. When induced by apomorphine, these effects were reduced by 80% by raclopride, a selective D2/D3 receptor antagonist (1microg) and only by 40-45% by L-745,870 (1microg), a selective dopamine D4 receptor antagonist. When induced by PD-168077, these effects were reduced by more than 80% by L-745,870 (1microg), but only by 35-40% by raclopride. Irrespective of the dopamine agonist used to induce penile erection, the pro-erectile effect and the concomitant increase in dopamine and DOPAC concentration in the nucleus accumbens dialysate were almost completely abolished by d(CH(2))(5)Tyr(Me)(2)-Orn(8)-vasotocin(1microg), a potent oxytocin receptor antagonist, given into the lateral ventricles. The present results suggest that stimulation of dopamine receptors (mainly of the D2 to D4 subtype) in the paraventricular nucleus induces the release of oxytocin in brain areas that influence the activity of mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons mediating the appetitive and reinforcing effects of sexual activity. This provides evidence for a role of oxytocin in neural circuits that integrate the activity of neural pathways controlling the consummatory aspects of sexual behaviour (e.g., penile erection) with those controlling sexual motivation and sexual arousal.

3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid↗

Cloning of the gene for a human dopamine D5 receptor with higher affinity for dopamine than D1.

Dopamine receptors belong to a superfamily of receptors that exert their biological effects through guanine nucleotide-binding (G) proteins. Two main dopamine receptor subtypes have been identified, D1 and D2, which differ in their pharmacological and biochemical characteristics. D1 stimulates adenylyl cyclase activity, whereas D2 inhibits it. Both receptors are primary targets for drugs used to treat many psychomotor diseases, including Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. Whereas the dopamine D1 receptor has been cloned, biochemical and behavioural data indicate that dopamine D1-like receptors exist which either are not linked to adenylyl cyclase or display different pharmacological activities. We report here the cloning of a gene encoding a 477-amino-acid protein with strong homology to the cloned D1 receptor. The receptor, called D5, binds drugs with a pharmacological profile similar to that of the cloned D1 receptor, but displays a 10-fold higher affinity for the endogenous agonist, dopamine. As with D1, the dopamine D5 receptor stimulates adenylyl cyclase activity. Northern blot and in situ hybridization analyses reveal that the receptor is neuron-specific, localized primarily within limbic regions of the brain; no messenger RNA was detected in kidney, liver, heart or parathyroid gland. The existence of a dopamine D1-like receptor with these characteristics had not been predicted and may represent an alternative pathway for dopamine-mediated events and regulation of D2 receptor activity.

Amino Acid Sequence↗

Heteromeric nicotinic acetylcholine-dopamine autoreceptor complexes modulate striatal dopamine release.

In the striatum, dopamine and acetylcholine (ACh) modulate dopamine release by acting, respectively, on dopamine D(2) autoreceptors and nicotinic ACh (nACh) heteroreceptors localized on dopaminergic nerve terminals. The possibility that functional interactions exist between striatal D(2) autoreceptors and nACh receptors was studied with in vivo microdialysis in freely moving rats. Local perfusion of nicotine in the ventral striatum (shell of the nucleus accumbens) produced a marked increase in the extracellular levels of dopamine, which was completely counteracted by co-perfusion with either the non-alpha(7) nACh receptor antagonist dihydro-beta-erythroidine or the D(2-3) receptor agonist quinpirole. Local perfusion of the D(2-3) receptor antagonist raclopride produced an increase in the extracellular levels of dopamine, which was partially, but significantly, counteracted by coperfusion with dihydro-beta-erythroidine. These findings demonstrate a potent crosstalk between G protein-coupled receptors and ligand-gated ion channels in dopaminergic nerve terminals, with the D(2) autoreceptor modulating the efficacy of non-alpha(7) nACh receptor-mediated modulation of dopamine release. We further demonstrate physical interactions between beta(2) subunits of non-alpha(7) nicotinic acetylcholine receptors and D(2) autoreceptors in co-immunoprecipitation experiments with membrane preparations from co-transfected mammalian cells and rat striatum. These results reveal that striatal non-alpha(7) nicotinic acetylcholine receptors form part of heteromeric dopamine autoreceptor complexes that modulate dopamine release.

Animals↗

In vitro functional characteristics of dopamine D2 receptor partial agonists in second and third messenger-based assays of cloned human dopamine D2Long receptor signalling.

Aripiprazole, (+)terguride, OPC-4392 and (-)3-PPP have been classified as dopamine D(2) receptor partial agonists based largely on their activity in second messenger-based assays of dopamine D(2) receptor signalling. Nevertheless, signal transduction amplification might result in these compounds behaving as dopamine D(2) receptor full agonists at a more downstream level of signalling. We compared the intrinsic activity (E(max), expressed as a percentage of the maximal effect of dopamine) of aripiprazole, (+)terguride, OPC-4392 and (-)3-PPP using second (calcium (Ca(2+)) mobilization) and third (extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2) phosphoprotein expression) messenger readouts of cloned human dopamine D(2long) (hD(2L)) receptor signalling in CHO cells. These compounds were all less potent and displayed lower intrinsic activity in the Ca(2+) assay (aripiprazole = 24.3%, (+)terguride = 56.9%, OPC-4392 = 58.6% and (-)3-PPP = 75.1%), and aripiprazole (E(max) = 54.5%) displayed a substantially lower intrinsic activity than (+)terguride (E(max) = 92.3%), OPC-4392 (E(max) = 93.1%) and (-)3-PPP (E(max) = 101.1%) in the more downstream-based ERK2 phosphoprotein expression assay. These drug effects on Ca(2+) mobilization and ERK2 phosphoprotein expression were mediated through dopamine hD(2L) receptors, as they all were blocked by (-)raclopride, whereas (-)raclopride and other dopamine D(2) receptor antagonists (haloperidol, risperidone, ziprasidone, olanzapine, clozapine and quetiapine) were inactive on their own in both assays. These data are consistent with clinical evidence that only dopamine D(2) receptor partial agonists with a sufficiently low enough intrinsic activity will prove effective against the positive symptoms of schizophrenia, and also highlight the importance of using downstream-based assays in the discovery of novel D(2) receptor partial agonist therapeutics.

Animals↗

Gender difference in dopamine concentration and postischemic neuronal damage in neostriatum after unilateral dopamine depletion.

Most neurons in the dorsal neostriatum die 1 day after 30 min of cerebral ischemia. Dopamine may play a role in the pathogenesis of neuronal injury in neostriatum following ischemia. It has been shown that the number of surviving neurons in the right neostriatum dramatically increased following ischemia after lesions were made in the right substantia nigra (SN), whereas no such protective effect was observed in the left neostriatum after left SN lesion. Using a voltammetric technique, the present study measured the dopamine concentration in neostriatum during ischemia after unilateral dopamine depletion and correlated it with the postischemic neuronal damage in neostriatum of male and female rats. In both genders, dopamine concentrations in the neostriatum of the intact side increased to 50-60 microM during ischemia while those of the lesion side were 15-30 microM. No difference in dopamine concentration was detected between animals with lesions in the left SN and those with lesions in right SN. In male rats, the number of surviving neurons in the right neostriatum (approximately 80% as control) was significantly greater than that in the left neostriatum (approximately 20%) after ipsilateral dopamine depletion, whereas in female animals, the number of surviving neurons in the right neostriatum (approximately 40%) was about the same as that in the left neostriatum (approximately 35%) after dopamine depletion. These results indicate that the asymmetry in ischemic outcome after unilateral dopamine depletion in male rats is not due to the difference in residual dopamine in neostriatum. The lateralization of D2 receptors in male rats may be responsible for the asymmetry of survivability of striatal neurons after transient forebrain ischemia.

Animals↗

Development of dopamine innervation and turning behavior in dopamine-depleted infant rats receiving unilateral nigral transplants.

Three-day-old rats were bilaterally dopamine-depleted with 6-hydroxydopamine and 3 days later cell suspensions derived from the dopamine-rich ventral mesencephalic area were injected into the right rostral striatum. The transplants rapidly developed a substantial innervation of one striatum, so that by 15 days after transplantation (21 days of age) animals rotated away from the reinnervated side in response to amphetamine. The amount of turning correlated with the extent of innervation of the striatum as determined by tyrosine hydroxylase immunocytochemistry. By 25 days post-transplantation (31 days of age), animals turned in response to stress as well as amphetamine, although this later-developing phenomenon was not associated with any significant change in the extent of dopamine innervation. A second group of animals was bilaterally dopamine-depleted at 3 days of age, but transplantation with nigral cell suspensions was delayed until maturity. Partial reinnervation of the rostral striatum occurred with this delayed transplant paradigm, and turning to both amphetamine and stress commenced at 15 days post-transplantation. In contrast to animals receiving transplants shortly after lesioning, these animals began to turn spontaneously at about 20 days post-transplantation. The serotonin hyperinnervation that occurs following dopamine depletion in infancy was not altered by dopamine transplants made at either time. Results from both groups of transplant animals suggest that dopamine-rich transplants can provide substantial innervation that exerts some functional control over the striatum. This occurs despite the fact that neonatally dopamine-depleted rats, unlike adult-lesioned animals, survive quite well in the absence of striatal dopamine. However, the degree of incorporation into existing circuitry, and the types of regulation that result, may vary considerably depending on the age at which the tissue is transplanted.

Age Factors↗

Nicotine indirectly inhibits [3H]dopamine uptake at concentrations that do not directly promote [3H]dopamine release in rat striatum.

The effects of both (-)- and (+)-nicotine isomers were examined on in vitro uptake and release of [3H]dopamine in rat striatum. Both isomers inhibited uptake of [3H]dopamine in chopped tissue at concentrations well below those necessary for promoting release of preloaded [3H]dopamine. (-)-Nicotine was more potent than (+)-nicotine both at inhibiting uptake and at promoting release. Unlike other dopamine uptake inhibitors, however, nicotine inhibited only 50% of the total uptake. In the presence of 1 nM nicotine, the residual [3H]dopamine uptake was less sensitive to inhibition by cocaine than uptake in the absence of nicotine. Nicotine did not compete against the binding of [3H]GBR 12935, a selective dopamine uptake inhibitor. The nicotinic receptor agonists carbachol and 1,1-dimethyl-4-phenylpiperazinium iodide also inhibited uptake, whereas the nicotinic antagonists chlorisondamine and mecamylamine blocked nicotine's effect. Thus, the effect of nicotine on dopamine uptake appears to be mediated by a receptor similar to the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor. These receptors do not seem to be on the terminals that are accumulating dopamine, however, since tetrodotoxin prevented the effect of nicotine on [3H]dopamine uptake and nicotine had no effect on uptake in a synaptosomal preparation.

Animals↗

Differential inhibition of dopamine and bromocriptine on induced prolactin release: multiple sites for the inhibition of dopamine.

Effects of dopamine and bromocriptine on TRH- or dibutyryladenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (dbcAMP)-induced prolactin release from primary cultured rat pituitary cells were studied using a perifusion system. TRH (100 nmol/l) stimulated prolactin release from basal concentrations of 33.8 +/- 0.5 to 151.2 +/- 28.0 ng/ml (net increase) or 447% increase. Dopamine inhibited the basal release of prolactin throughout the experiment, but TRH (100 nmol/l) was still able to stimulate prolactin release under the influence of dopamine. The increment in prolactin release was inversely proportional to the dopamine concentration. When TRH (100 nmol/l) was introduced during a perifusion period with bromocriptine 1 nmol/l, the prolactin concentration was increased to 110.9% of basal levels. The stimulatory effect of TRH under the influence of bromocriptine (1 nmol/l) was significantly lower than that without bromocriptine (control), although the higher concentrations of bromocriptine (10 and 100 nmol/l) did not further reduce the peak concentration of TRH-induced prolactin release. During a perifusion period with a low concentration of dopamine (1 nmol/l plus 0.1 mmol/l ascorbic acid), introduction of dbcAMP (3 mmol/l) stimulated prolactin release to 48% of basal concentration. A higher concentration of dopamine further reduced the stimulatory effect of prolactin release. Bromocriptine impeded the stimulatory effect of dbcAMP (3 mmol/l) on prolactin release in a similar manner as dopamine. Since a higher concentration of bromocriptine (10 and 100 nmol/l) did not further inhibit the TRH-induced prolactin release whereas a higher concentration of dopamine did, it is concluded that dopamine acts through additional mechanism(s) other than the D2 receptor transduction system.

Animals↗

Dopamine distribution and behavioral alterations resulting from dopamine infusion into the brain of the lesioned rat.

In an effort to verify the "dopamine secretion hypothesis" as the mechanism responsible for the antiparkinsonian efficacy of adrenal medullary transplants into the brain, the effects of dopamine infusion into the brains of rats with unilateral substantia nigra lesions were examined. The apomorphine-induced rotation, characteristic of this animal model, was diminished after 7 days of continuous dopamine infusion (10 micrograms/hr) into the ipsilateral striatum, whereas intraventricular infusion was without effect. Chromatographic analysis of the dopamine distribution after 10 days of infusion into either region revealed that ipsilateral delivery of dopamine did not result in contralateral increases in dopamine content. Examination of the adjacent striatum following ipsilateral intraventricular delivery indicated that dopamine had only penetrated 1 mm. Even with intrastriatal delivery, there were still parts of the infused striatum which had below-normal levels of dopamine. The fact that striatal tissue presents a significant barrier to the penetration of dopamine is discussed in relation to adrenal medullary and fetal nigral transplants.

Adrenal Medulla↗