REGULATION OF STRIATAL ENKEPHALIN TURNOVER IN RATS RECEIVING ANTAGONISTS OF SPECIFIC DOPAMINE RECEPTOR SUBTYPES

  • 1 June 1987
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 241  (3) , 1120-1124
Abstract
The hypothesis that striatal dopamine regulates enkephalin (ENK) synthesis is supported by the increase of striatal proenkephalin mRNA and ENK after intranigral injection of 6-hydroxydopamine. In order to elucidate which dopamine receptor subtype is operative in the regulation of the dynamic state of ENK, the effect of drugs that block D-1 or D-2 receptor selectively was studied. Daily administration of 140 .mu.mol/kg s.c. of the D-2 antagonist l-sulpiride twice daily for 2 weeks produces a 30% decrease in the content of striatal proenkephalin mRNA and ENK. In contrast, a 50% increase was observed after 2 weeks of treatment with D-1 antagonist SCH 23390 at 74 nmol/kg s.c. three times a day. Hence, it can be inferred that the endogenous activation of D-1 tonically decreases striatal ENK synthesis. Removal of this neurally mediated regulation either by a specific pharmacologic blockage of D-1 or by lesioning with 6-hydroxydopamine increases the biosynthesis of ENK. The increase of ENK biosynthesis elicited by denervation with 6-hydroxydopamine cannot be due to the endogenous activation of D-2 receptors and must be due to the inactivation of the tonic inhibition exerted by D-1 receptors.

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