Dopamine D1 and D2 receptors and their signal system present in coated vesicles prepared from bovine striatal tissue

Chronic caffeine or theophylline intake during pregnancy inhibits A1 receptor function in the rat brain

The aim of this work was to study whether caffeine or theophylline chronically consumed during pregnancy affect inhibitory adenylyl cyclase pathway mediated by adenosine, in rat brain of both mothers and full-term fetuses. Immunoblotting analysis revealed a significant decrease in alphaGi(1,2) subunit level (27-29% in mothers, 15-18% in fetuses), associated with a significant increase in the mRNA level coding alphaGi(1) in both maternal and fetal rat brain (12-22%) after methylxanthine intake. No significant differences in alphaGi(3) level were detected in any case. On the other hand, forskolin- and forskolin plus guanosine-5'-O(3-thiotriphosphate) tetralithium salt-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity was significantly decreased (30-36%) in maternal brain. Moreover, adenylyl cyclase inhibition elicited by N(6)-cyclohexyladenosine, specific adenosine A(1) receptor agonist, was also significantly decreased in caffeine- (40.5%) and theophylline- (55.0%) treated mothers, suggesting a desensitization of adenosine A(1) receptor/adenylyl cyclase pathway in maternal brain. However, no significant differences were detected in fetal brain between control and treated animals. Therefore, caffeine or theophylline chronic intake during pregnancy differently modulates inhibitory adenylyl cyclase pathway mediated by adenosine in maternal and fetal brain causing a loss of the system responsiveness only in maternal brain but down-regulating Gi(1) protein in both mother and fetus brain.

Effects of D1- and D2-dopamine receptor activation on melatonin synthesis in bovine pinealocytes

Previous studies have identified and characterized D1- and D2-dopamine receptors in bovine pineal glands. The data indicate that the density of D1-dopamine receptors (974 fmol/mg protein) far exceed that of D2-dopamine receptors (37 fmol/mg protein). The objective of this study was to identify the mRNAs for both D1- and D2-dopamine receptors and to elucidate the status of dopamine and its possible involvement in the pineal function, particularly on melatonin synthesis. The expression of these dopamine receptor subtypes were determined by using a reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction technique with specific pairs of primers to amplify D1- and D2-dopamine receptor mRNAs. Amplification of RNAs from bovine striatum (positive control) and bovine pineal gland resulted in products of the predicted lengths of 231 bp for D1- and 333 bp for D2-dopamine receptors. The results indicate that both D1- and D2-dopamine receptor mRNAs are present in the bovine pineal gland. The role of dopamine receptors was investigated by studying the effects of selective D1- and D2-dopamine agonists and antagonists on the N-acetyltransferase (NAT) activity of cultured bovine pinealocytes. The data showed that SKF-38393, a selective D1-agonist, enhanced NAT activity, and increased melatonin level, and the stimulatory effect was blocked by SCH-23390, a D1-selective antagonist, whereas quinpirole, a selective D2-agonist, inhibited NAT basal activity and decreased the melatonin basal level. Furthermore the inhibitory effect was blocked by D2-selective antagonists, spiperone, haloperidol, and domperidone. The present results indicate that the pineal dopamine receptors have a distinct effect on pineal function. The precise mechanism whereby activation of dopamine receptors altered the NAT activity and melatonin level needs to be further delineated.

Characterization of [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine and [3H]spiperone binding sites in clathrin-coated vesicles from bovine brain

Coated vesicles prepared from bovine brain cerebral cortex exhibited [3H]5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT, serotonin) and [3H]spiperone binding activities. The binding activities were localized in the inner core vesicles. Binding reached an equilibrium level by 30-45 min at 30 degreesC, and was reversed by the addition of 100 microM 5-HT for [3H]5-HT binding or 10 microM ketanserin for [3H]spiperone binding. The saturation binding experiments indicated a single class of binding sites for [3H]5-HT and [3H]spiperone with apparent Kd values of 2.4 and 1.75 nM, respectively. The binding of [3H]5-HT was displaced by 5-HT and 8-hydroxy-2-(di-n-propylamino)-tetralin (8-OH-DPAT), but not by ketanserin. The binding of [3H]spiperone was displaced by spiperone and ketanserin but not by 5-HT or 8-OH-DPAT even at 1 mM. The coated vesicles were shown by immunoblotting assay to contain alpha-subunits of GTP-binding proteins, Galphas, Galphai2, Galphai3, Galphao and Galphaq/11. Forskolin-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in the coated vesicles was inhibited to 80% of the control level by 5-HT or 8-OH-DPAT. These results suggested that 5-HT1A and 5-HT2A receptors are present in bovine brain coated vesicles and that the 5-HT1A receptors are coupled to adenylate cyclase activity via GTP binding proteins.

Desensitization and internalization of adenosine A1 receptors in rat brain by in vivo treatment with R-PIA: involvement of coated vesicles

Chronic treatment of rats with R-PIA 'in vivo' desensitized adenosine A1 receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylyl cyclase in brain plasma membranes and increased basal and forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase. The adenosine A1 receptor agonist CHA (cyclohexyl adenosine) inhibited forskolin-stimulated adenylyl cyclase in synaptic plasma membranes from control rats but failed to do so in membranes isolated from rats treated with R-PIA. This loss of response was accompanied with a significant decrease in both, total number of adenosine A1 receptors and steady-state level of alpha-Gi in synaptic plasma membranes. An increase in the steady-state level of alpha-Gs in synaptic plasma membranes was also observed by R-PIA treatment. Concurrently, a significant increase of adenosine A1 receptors was observed in microsomes and coated vesicles. These results demonstrate adenosine A1 receptor desensitization in rat brain by 'in vivo' treatment with R-PIA and suggest a role for coated vesicles in the internalization of G-protein coupled receptors.

Metabotropic glutamate receptor analogues inhibit p[NH]ppG-stimulated phospholipase C activity in bovine brain coated vesicles: involvement of a pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein

Guanosine 5'-[beta gamma-imido]triphosphate (p[NH]ppG)-stimulated phospholipase C (PLC) activity in bovine brain coated vesicles is inhibited by glutamate agonists. In the present study we show that quisqualic acid (QA), (+/-)-trans-1-aminocyclopentane-1,3-dicarboxylate (trans-ACPD), glutamic acid and ibotenic acid inhibited p[NH]ppG-stimulated PLC by 44, 41, 36 and 25% respectively. Carbachol also produced an inhibition of p[NH]ppG-stimulated PLC by 45%. The inhibition caused by trans-ACPD and QA was dose-dependent. DL-2-Amino-3-phosphonopropionic acid and (RS)-alpha-methyl-4-carboxyphenylglycine, specific antagonists of metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs), abolished these inhibitory effects. trans-ACPD inhibition of p[NH]ppG-stimulated PLC was also observed in the presence of ionotropic glutamate receptor antagonists. When carbachol and QA or trans-ACPD were combined, additive inhibitory effects were observed. Preincubation of bovine brain coated vesicles with pertussis toxin abolished the inhibitory effects of mGluR analogues and carbachol on p[NH]ppG-stimulated PLC activity. The presence of Gs alpha and pertussis toxin substrates, Gi alpha and Go alpha subunits as well as PLC beta 1 in bovine brain coated vesicles has been confirmed by immunoblot. These results support the coupling of mGluRs to a PLC in an inhibitory manner through a pertussis toxin-sensitive G-protein in bovine brain coated vesicles.