Modulation of calcium currents by a D1 dopaminergic protein kinase/phosphatase cascade in rat neostriatal neurons

Inhibitory action of dopamine involves a subthreshold Cs(+)-sensitive conductance in neostriatal neurons

Intracellular recordings in in vitro slice preparations of rat brain were used to compare the actions of dopamine and dopamine receptor agonists on the subthreshold membrane properties of neostriatal neurons. A reproducible response for dopaminergic agonists was evoked after firing produced by current ramp injections that induced a subthreshold voltage displacement. Dopamine (10-100 microM) decreased both firing rate and membrane slope input resistance in virtually all cells tested. Input resistance change appeared as an increase in inward rectification. Approximate reversal potential was around -87 mV. The D1 receptor agonists SKF 38393 and Cl-APB (1-10 microM) mimicked both dopamine effects with a reversal potential around -89 mV. The effects were blocked by the presence of 5-10 mM caesium (Cs+) but not by 1 microM tetrodotoxin, suggesting that main D1 effects on input resistance are due to subthreshold Cs(+)-sensitive conductances. cAMP analogues mimicked the actions of D1 receptor agonists. The D2 agonist, quinpirole (1-10 microM), did not produce any input resistance change, nonetheless, it still produced a decrease in firing rate. This suggests that the main D2 effect on firing is due to actions on suprathreshold ion conductances. All effects were blocked by D1 and D2 antagonists, respectively. D1 or D2 effects were found in the majority of cells tested.

The excitatory effect of cholecystokinin on rat neostriatal neurons: ionic and molecular mechanisms

Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings were performed to study ionic and molecular mechanisms by which cholecystokinin (CCK) peptides modulate the membrane excitability of acutely dissociated rat neostriatal neurons. Immunohistochemical staining studies indicated that about 95% of acutely isolated neostriatal neurons were GABA(gamma-aminobutyric acid)ergic medium-sized cells. During current-clamp recordings, sulfated cholecystokinin octapeptide (CCK-8) depolarized neostriatal neurons and evoked action potentials. During voltage-clamp recordings, CCK-8 induced inward currents at negative membrane potentials by increasing the voltage-insensitive and non-selective cationic conductance. Cholecystokinin tetrapeptide (CCK-4), a selective CCKB receptor agonist, also evoked cationic currents. The CCK-8-induced cation currents were antagonized by PD135,158 (4-{[2-[[3-(1H-indol-3yl)-2-mehtyl-1-oxo-2-[[[1.7.7.-trimeth yl-bicyclo [2.2.1]hept-2-yl)oxy]carbonyl]amino]propyl]amino]-1-phenylethyl]amino-4- oxo- [1S-1 alpha, 2 beta [S*(S*)]4 alpha]}-butanoate N-methyl-D-glucamine), a highly specific and potent CCKB receptor antagonist. The CCK-8-evoked inward currents were blocked by the internal perfusion of 1 mM GDP-beta-S. In neostriatal neurons dialyzed with 0.5 mM GTP-gamma-S, the cationic currents produced by CCK-8 became irreversible. Pretreating neostriatal neurons with 500 ng/ml pertussis toxin did not prevent CCK-8 from evoking cationic currents. Internal administration of heparin (2 mg/ml), an inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) receptor antagonist, and buffering of intracellular calcium with the Ca(2+)-chelator, BAPTA (1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N,N,N',N'-tetraacetic acid, 10 mM), suppressed CCK-8-evoked cationic currents. These findings suggest that, by activating CCKB receptors, CCK-8 excites rat neostriatal neurons through enhancing a non-selective cationic conductance and that pertussis toxin-insensitive G-proteins mediate CCK-8 enhancement of the cationic conductance. The coupling mechanism via G-proteins is likely to involve the production of IP3, and the subsequent IP3-evoked Ca2+ release leads to the opening of non-selective cation channels.

Heterogeneous distribution of benzodiazepine receptors among rat neostriatal neurones

1. The effects of benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) agonist were investigated in dissociated rat neostriatal neurones by a conventional whole-cell patch recording configuration at room temperature. 2. The dissociated neurones, with a longest somatic diameter of larger than 25 microns, were classified as 'large neurones', while those having soma measuring less than 15 microns were described as 'small neurones'. Large neurones were intensely positive for acetylcholinesterase staining, whereas the small ones were not. 3. CL218,872 enhanced the GABA response in both the large and small neurones with similar EC50S. However, the potentiation efficacy of CL218,872 in large neurones was larger than that of small ones. 4. Zolpidem also potentiated the GABA response in both neuronal populations with similar EC50S. This compound also enhanced the GABA response more strongly in large neurones than in small ones. 5. Zopiclone exerted a prominent potentiation in large neurones, although no difference was seen in the EC50S in the large and small neurones. 6. It was concluded that the BZR in large neurones had a different pharmacological property from that in small ones and that the BZR agonists showed a prominent difference, not in EC50, but in the potentiation efficacy between these neuronal populations.

Molecular attributes of dopamine receptors: new potential for antipsychotic drug development

The neurotransmitter dopamine (DA) plays a central role in the control of motor function, emotional states, and endocrine physiology. The discovery that schizophrenic symptoms can be alleviated by neuroleptic drugs and the finding that these drugs interact at dopamine receptors has indicated involvement of the dopamine system in schizophrenia. The dopamine system has recently been shown to rely on the activation of five distinct subtypes of DA receptors (D1-D5) identified by molecular cloning, and pharmacological studies have specifically implicated the D2-like receptors (D2R, D3R and D4R) in antipsychotic action. In addition, the localization of D3R and D4R expression in the mesolimbic/mesocortical DA pathways is consistent with their proposed involvement in affective behaviour, and suggests that drugs developed specifically for these receptor subtypes might have potent antipsychotic activity with a lower propensity for extrapyramidal, endocrine, and cognitive side-effects.

Potassium channel blockade does not alter the modulatory effects of dopamine in neostriatal slices

This study assessed the contribution of K+ conductances to dopamine (DA)-induced modulation of evoked depolarizing synaptic responses (DPSPs) in neostriatal slices obtained from rats. Intracellular recordings of membrane properties and DPSPs evoked by local electrical stimulation were obtained from cells bathed in standard artificial cerebrospinal fluid (ACSF), 5 mM Cs+ in ACSF, 20 mM tetraethylammonium in ACSF, or 1 mM 4-aminopyridine in ACSF. DA altered response amplitude in approximately equal proportions regardless of the presence or absence of these K(+)-channel blockers. These findings suggest that K+ conductances do not provide a major contribution to DA-induced changes in DPSPs in the neostriatum.

Synaptic transmission and modulation in the neostriatum

The neostriatum is the entryway into the basal ganglia and is the site of many of the neurological defects involving basal ganglia function. Thus, it is important to understand the regulation of synaptic transmission at afferent synapses innervating the neostriatum. Cortical glutamatergic and nigral dopaminergic afferent input impinge on neurons in the neostriatum, providing the most significant afferent inputs to this structure. Our understanding of the mechanisms involved in transmission and modulation of transmission at these synapses has greatly increased. It is now apparent that the corticostriatal glutamatergic inputs produce rapid depolarization of striatal neurons via activation of ionotropic AMPA-type glutamate receptors. In addition, transmission is modulated by a number of presynaptic, G-protein-coupled receptors but, surprisingly, relatively little evidence of postsynaptic modulation has been observed. Corticostriatal synapses also express certain forms of plasticity, most notably short- and long- term synaptic depression (STI) and LTD, respectively). It appears that LTD may involve convergent actions of glutamate and dopamine. Striatal LTD may have important roles in information storage and motor set selection in the striatum. However, some aspects of synaptic transmission in the striatum remain unclear. In particular, the exact physiological roles of dopaminergic nigrostriatal input and the role of NMDA-type glutamate receptors are not well understood. In addition, intrastriatal synaptic connections have received relatively little attention as compared with extrinsic input to the neostriatum. Future studies will need to focus on elucidating these aspects of neostriatal function.

The dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH 23390 can exert D1 agonist-like effects on rat nucleus accumbens neurons

Interactions between the selective dopamine D1-class receptor antagonist SCH 23390 and the dopamine D2-class receptor agonist quinpirole on nucleus accumbens neurons were investigated with extracellular single cell recording and microiontophoresis. Because dopamine D1 receptor stimulation enables many dopamine D2 receptor-mediated effects, SCH 23390 was expected to antagonize quinpirole-induced inhibition of activity. Although concurrent iontophoretic administration of SCH 23390 attenuated the inhibitory effects of quinpirole on most neurons, the antagonist further suppressed the firing of most neurons during attempts to reverse quinpirole-induced inhibition. SCH 23390 also reinstated (enabled) quinpirole-induced inhibition in rats acutely depleted of dopamine. These findings suggest that under certain conditions, SCH 23390 may exert dopamine D1 agonist-like effects.

Optical responses recorded after local stimulation in rat neostriatal slice preparations: effects of GABA and glutamate antagonists, and dopamine agonists

Effects of GABA and glutamate antagonists as well as dopamine agonists and antagonists on the optical responses of neostriatal (Str) slices to local electrical stimulation were examined using a voltage-sensitive dye and a high-speed image sensor. A single local stimulation applied to the Str slices evoked optical responses lasting for 40-80 ms and propagating in every direction up to about 1.5 mm. Bath application of bicuculline methiodide increased the intensity and duration of optical responses, while their spatial response patterns were unchanged. Bath application of 6-cyano-7-nitroquinoxaline-2,3-dione (CNQX) greatly reduced the late part of responses occurring about 4 ms after stimulation, but the early part of responses was unaffected by CNQX. The early part of the response was eliminated by application of tetrodotoxin. Bath application of N-methyl-D-aspartate antagonists, 3-(2-carboxypiperazin-4-yl)-propyl-1-phosphonic acid and 2-amino-5-phosphonovaleric acid resulted in only small changes in the optical responses. Bath application of D1 agonist 6-chloro-7,8-dihydroxy-3-allyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5,-tetrahydro-1H-3-benz aze pine hydrobromide consistently increased the intensity but decreased the speed of propagation and duration of the optical response. Bath application of D2 agonist quinpirole had no effect on the optical response. D1 antagonist SCH 23390 and D2 antagonist sulpiride also failed to change optical responses. These results indicate that the early part of the response is due to direct activation of the neuronal elements by electrical stimulation, while the late part of the response is due mainly to glutamatergic ex-citatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) mediated by alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid (AMPA)/kainate receptors. This study also suggests that dopamine may modulate AMPA/kainate responses through D1 receptors.