Expression of the dopamine D2 receptor gene in brain,

Abstract

The cloning of the dopamine (DA) D2 receptor now permits the characterization and regulation of D2 messenger RNA (mRNA) in the brain. In this article, the authors describe their studies delineating the distribution of D2 receptor mRNA in the rodent and primate brain, and compare the distribution of message to D2 receptor binding sites. The effects of chronic DA agonist and antagonist treatment on D2 receptor mRNA are also presented, and provide insights into receptor regulation. Finally, the autoreceptor role of D2 receptors located in the midbrain is examined with a combination of 6-hydroxydopamine lesions and anatomic colocalization studies with tyrosine hydroxylase. These preclinical results provide a framework for subsequent investigation into the nature of D2 receptor gene expression in postmortem brains from patients with disorders putatively associated with dopaminergic dysfunction, especially schizophrenia. They also lay the groundwork for a more profound understanding of DA neurocircuitry by combining molecular biological and traditional anatomical techniques.