Unaltered D1, D2, D4, and D5 dopamine receptor mRNA expression and distribution in the spinal cord of the D3 receptor knockout mouse

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Hong Zhu, Emory University; Stefan Clemens, Emory University; Michael Sawchuk, Emory University; Shawn Hochman, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2008-11
• Publisher: Springer Verlag (Germany)
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © Springer-Verlag 2008
• Final Published Version (URL): http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs00359-008-0368-5
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Journal of Comparative Physiology A
• ISSN: 0340-7594
• Volume: 194
• Issue: 11
• Start Page: 957
• End Page: 962
• Grant/Funding Information: Funding for this study was awarded from the National Institutes of Health, NINDS, Grant NS045248.
• Keywords: In situ hybridization; Restless Legs Syndrome; Real-time PCR; Dopamine; Monoamines
• Research Categories: Biology, Physiology; Biology, Neuroscience

Abstract

Dopamine (DA) acts through five receptor subtypes (D1–D5). We compared expression levels and distribution patterns of all DA mRNA receptors in the spinal cord of wild-type (WT) and loss of function D3 receptor knockout (D3KO) animals. D3 mRNA expression was increased in D3KO, but no D3 receptor protein was associated with cell membranes, supporting the previously reported lack of function. In contrast, mRNA expression levels and distribution patterns of D1, D2, D4, and D5 receptors were similar between WT and D3KO animals. We conclude that D3KO spinal neurons do not compensate for the loss of function of the D3 receptor with changes in the other DA receptor subtypes. This supports use of D3KO animals as a model to provide insight into D3 receptor dysfunction in the spinal cord.