Expression of the d3 dopamine receptor in peptidergic neurons of the nucleus accumbens: Comparison with the D1 and D2 dopamine receptors

doi:10.1016/0306-4522(96)00029-2

Neuroscience

Volume 73, Issue 1, July 1996, Pages 131-143

https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4522(96)00029-2 Get rights and content

Abstract

The D₃ dopamine receptor, belonging to the D₂-like receptor subfamily, displays both specific pharmacology and a unique pattern of expression, especially compared to the D₁ and D₂ receptors. A rat D₃ complementary RNA probe labelled with [³⁵S]UTP was used to map the neurons expressing the D₃ receptor gene in the rat brain. In particular, we identified the phenotype of the neurons containing D₃ messenger RNA in the nucleus accumbens, with respect to the striatal segregated populations of enkephalin and substance P neurons, by using strategies of double in situ hybridization. In addition, comparison with D₁ and D₂ receptor gene expression was performed to study the potential co-localization of several dopamine receptors within the same neurons in the ventral striatum. The highest level of D₃ messenger RNA was detected in the islands of Calleja and the nucleus accumbens. Other areas such as the caudate-putamen, some hypothalamic, thalamic and cortical areas and lobule 10 of the cerebellum also contained low but significant levels of D3 Messenger RNA. Our results demonstrate that the D₃ receptor is co-expressed either with D₁ or with D₂ receptor, both in the core and shell regions, in a subpopulation of substance P and enkephalin neurons, respectively. They also suggest that a significant part of the accumbal neurons only express either D₁ or D₂ without co-expression with the D3 receptor.

These data imply that dopamine in the nucleus accumbens may act on each population of efferent neurons via the co-expression of two distinct dopamine receptors (D₁ + D₃ or D₂ + D₃, and that synergistic D₁-like/D₂-like effects may occur at the level of a single neuron, through the co-expression of D₁ and D₃ receptors in a significant proportion of substance P neurons (16% or 26% in the core and shell regions, respectively).

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Expression of the d3 dopamine receptor in peptidergic neurons of the nucleus accumbens: Comparison with the D1 and D2 dopamine receptors

Abstract

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Brain Res.

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Molec. Brain Res.

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Neurosci. Lett.

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Trends Neurosci.

Neurosci. Lett.

Prog. Brain Res.

J. biol. Chem.

Brain Res.

Neuroscience

Dopamine-containing systems in the CNS

Modulation of cocaine self-administration in the rat through D3 dopamine receptors

Science

Expression of the d3 dopamine receptor in peptidergic neurons of the nucleus accumbens: Comparison with the D₁ and D₂ dopamine receptors