An improved, automated adenylate cyclase assay utilizing preparative HPLC: effects of phosphodiesterase inhibitors

Measurement of second messengers in signal transduction: cAMP and inositol phosphates

cAMP acts as an intracellular mediator of hormone action and the importance of accurate quantitative determination of cAMP levels in cells and tissues is widely recognized. The most utilized procedures for the determination of adenylate cyclase activity in membranes are described here for measuring the conversion of [alpha-(32)P]ATP into [(32)P]cAMP after a two-step chromatographic separation. Also critical in signal transduction is phosphoinositide turnover, which is linked to receptor activation resulting from changes in cytosolic calcium concentrations. Phosphoinositide turnover can be measured as described in this unit by labeling phospholipid pools with [(3)H]-inositol and then analyzing for tritiated inositol phosphates.

Differential activation of adenylate cyclase and receptor internalization by novel dopamine D1 receptor agonists

Structurally dissimilar dopamine D(1) receptor agonists were compared with dopamine in their ability to activate adenylate cyclase and to internalize hemagglutinin-tagged human D(1) receptors in a stably transfected human embryonic kidney cell line. Thirteen dopamine D(1) receptor agonists were selected rationally from three different structural classes: rigid fused ring compounds [dihydrexidine, dinapsoline, dinoxyline, apomorphine, and (5aR,11bS)-4,5,5a,6,7,11b-hexahydro-2-propyl-3-thia-5-azacyclopent-1-ena[c]-phenanthrene-9,10-diol (A86929)]; isochromans [(1R,3S)-3-(1'adamantyl)-1-aminomethyl-3,4-dihydo-5,6-dihydroxy-1H-2-benzopyran (A77636) and (1R,3S)-3-phenyl-1-aminomethyl-3,4-dihydo-5,6-dihydroxy-1H-2-benzopyran (A68930)]; and benzazepines [7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine (SKF38393), (+/-)-7,8-dihydroxy-3-allyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine (SKF77434), 6-chloro-7,8-dihydroxy-3-allyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine (SKF82958), 3-methyl-6-chloro-7,8-hydroxy-1-[3-methylphenyl]-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-]H-3-benzazepine (SKF83959), R(+)-6-chloro-7,8,-dihydroxy-3-methyl-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine (SKF82957), and R(+)-6-chloro-7,8,-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine (SKF81297)]. The working hypothesis was that some agonists have differential effects on adenylate cyclase versus receptor internalization that could be correlated to the structural class of the agonist. First, the affinity for the hemagglutinin-hD(1) receptor and the intrinsic activity and potency of adenylate cyclase activation were determined for each compound. The internalization time course and internalization efficacy were then determined for each agonist. It was surprising that internalization efficacy was found to be independent of either agonist structural class or affinity. Only agonists that had both high adenylate cyclase functional potency and high intrinsic activity caused internalization. In addition, four agonists from two structural classes were identified that were capable of fully activating adenylate cyclase without eliciting an internalization response. This study provides the first extensive characterization of D(1) receptor internalization in response to structurally diverse agonists and, at least for the D(1) receptor, shows that functional selectivity is not predictable by simple structural examination. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that functional selectivity reflects subtle ligand-induced conformational changes as opposed to simple agonist trafficking among discrete receptor active states.

Amygdaloid D1 receptors are not linked to stimulation of adenylate cyclase

In contrast to the classic signal transduction of D1 dopamine receptors in striatum or molecular expression systems, it has been reported that D1 receptor agonists do not stimulate adenylate cyclase in homogenates of microdissected nuclei of the amygdaloid complex. This article examines this phenomenon in detail to determine if lack of cAMP signaling in the amygdaloid complex is an experimental artifact, or an indication of a marked difference from the well-studied basal ganglia terminal fields. Thus, whereas dopamine agonists failed to increase cAMP synthesis in the amygdala, forskolin, guanine nucleotides, or Mg2+ were able to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity in the same preparations. Under several different conditions, caudate preparations responded more robustly than amygdaloid preparations, while amygdala homogenates exhibited higher basal production of cAMP. Whereas the beta-adrenergic agonist isoproterenol was able to stimulate cAMP efflux in membranes from both the caudate and amygdala under a variety of tested conditions, neither dopamine nor fenoldopam (D1 agonist) could stimulate adenylate cyclase in the amygdala. Additionally, while manipulation of Ca2+ and calmodulin affected the differential actions of dopamine in the caudate, no change in these parameters restored sensitivity to dopamine in the amygdala. Together, these data challenge the commonly accepted notion that cAMP is a mandatory signaling pathway for D1 receptors. Because it is now proven that G protein-coupled receptors can signal promiscuously, elucidation of the non-cAMP-dependent signaling mechanisms resulting from D1 activation is clearly critical in understanding how this important receptor functions in situ.

2-Phenylaminoadenosine stimulates dopamine synthesis in rat forebrain in vitro and in vivo via adenosine A2 receptors

The adenosine agonist 2-phenylaminoadenosine (PAD) stimulated tyrosine hydroxylase activity in rat striatum in vitro. This effect was selectively blocked by the A2 antagonist 8-chlorostyrylcaffeine (CSC), suggesting an A2 receptor-mediated mechanism. PAD also produced a corresponding increase in striatal adenylyl cyclase activity. Using an in vivo model that measures presynaptic effects of drugs at dopamine nerve terminals, intracerebroventricular administration of PAD to rats stimulated tyrosine hydroxylase activity in striatum in a manner that was selectively blocked by CSC. These results suggest that PAD stimulates adenylyl cyclase and tyrosine hydroxylase activity, with a corresponding increase in dopamine synthesis, by activation of presynaptic A2-type receptors in mammalian forebrain.

9-Dihydroxy-2,3,7,11b-tetrahydro-1H-naph[1,2,3-de]isoquinoline: a potent full dopamine D1 agonist containing a rigid-beta-phenyldopamine pharmacophore

The present work reports the synthesis and preliminary pharmacological characterization of 8,9-dihydroxy-2,3,7,11b-tetrahydro-1H-naph[1,2,3-de] isoquinoline (4, dinapsoline). This molecule was designed to conserve the essential elements contained in our D1 agonist pharmacophore model (i.e., position and orientation of the nitrogen, hydroxyls, and phenyl rings). It involved taking the backbone of dihydrexidine [3; (+/-)-trans-10, 11-dihydroxy-5,6,6a,7,8,12b-hexahydrobenzo[a] phenanthridine], the first high-affinity full D1 agonist, and tethering the two phenyl rings of dihydrexidine through a methylene bridge and removing the C(7)-C(8) ethano bridge. Preliminary molecular modeling studies demonstrated that these modifications conserved the essential elements of the hypothesized pharmacopore. Dinapsoline 4 had almost identical affinity (KI = 5.9 nM) to 3 at rat striatal D1 receptors and had a shallow competition curve (nH = 0.66) that suggested agonist properties. Consistent with this, in both rat striatum and C-6-mD1 cells, dinapsoline 4 was a full agonist with an EC50 of ca. 30 nM in stimulating synthesis of cAMP via D1 receptors. The design and synthesis of dinapsoline 4 provide a powerful test of the model of the D1 pharmacophore we have developed and provide another chemical series that can be useful probes for the study of D1 receptors. An interesting property of 3 is that it also has relatively high D2 affinity (K0.5 = 50 nM) despite having an accessory phenyl ring usually though to convey D1 selectivity. Dinapsoline 4 was found to have even higher affinity for the D2 receptor (K0.5 = 31 nM) than 3. Because of the high affinity of 4 for D2 receptors, it and its analogs can be powerful tools for exploring the mechanisms of "functional selectivity" (i.e., that 3 is an agonist at some D2 receptors, but an antagonist at others). Together, these data suggest that 4 and its derivatives may be powerful tools in the study of dopamine receptor function and also have potential clinical utility in Parkinson's disease and other conditions where perturbation of dopamine receptors is useful.

Conformational analysis of D1 dopamine receptor agonists: pharmacophore assessment and receptor mapping

Compute-aided conformational analysis was used to characterize the agonist pharmacophore for D1 dopamine receptor recognition and activation. Dihydrexidine (DHX), a high-affinity full agonist with limited conformational flexibility, served as a structural template that aided in determining a molecular geometry that would be common for other more flexible, biologically active agonists. The intrinsic activity of the drugs at D1 receptors was assessed by their ability to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity in rat striatal homogenates (the accepted measure of D1 receptor activation). In addition, affinity data on 12 agonists including six purported full agonists (dopamine, dihydrexidine, SKF89626, SKF82958, A70108, and A77636), as well as six less efficacious structural analogs, were obtained from D1 dopamine radioreceptor-binding assays. The active analog approach to pharmacophore building was applied as implemented in the SYBYL software package. Conformational analysis and molecular mechanics calculations were used to determine the lowest energy conformation of the active analogs (i.e., full agonists), as well as the conformations of each compound that displayed a common pharmacophoric geometry. It is hypothesized that DHX and other full agonists may share a D1 pharmacophore made up of two hydroxy groups, the nitrogen atom (ca. 7 A from the oxygen of m-hydroxyl) and the accessory ring system characterized by the angle between its plane and that of the catechol ring (except for dopamine and A77636). For all full agonists (DHX, SKF89626, SKF82958, A70108, A77636, and dopamine), the energy difference between the lowest energy conformer and those that displayed a common pharmacophore geometry was relatively small (< 5 kcal/mol). The pharmacophoric conformations of the full agonists were also used to infer the shape of the receptor binding site. Based on the union of the van der Waals density maps of the active analogs, the excluded receptor volume was calculated. Various inactive analogs (partial agonists with D1 K0.5 > 300 nM) subsequently were used to define the receptor essential volume (i.e., sterically intolerable receptor regions). These volumes, together with the pharmacophore results, were integrated into a three-dimensional model estimating the D1 receptor active site topography.

Rearing conditions alter social reactivity and D1 dopamine receptors in high- and low-aggressive mice

As a result of selective breeding, NC900 mice exhibit isolation-induced attacks in a social interaction test, whereas NC100 mice do not attack but freeze instead. Administration of the D1 receptor agonist dihydrexidine was previously shown to reduce aggression in NC900 mice and nonagonistic approaches in NC100 mice. This resulted from induction of a marked social reactivity in both selected lines. Because isolation rearing also induces social reactivity, the present experiment was designed to test the hypothesis that D1 dopamine receptors mediate isolation-induced social reactivity. Isolation was expected to potentiate the effects of a D1 agonist and to increase D1 dopamine receptor density. Thus, isolated and group-reared mice were administered dihydrexidine, and their social behavior was compared to vehicle-injected controls. Dihydrexidine induced higher levels of reactivity among isolated than among group-reared animals, especially in NC900 mice. In independent experiments, increased densities of D1 dopamine receptors in the striatum of isolated animals were found, with no change in affinity. These studies suggest an important role for the D1 dopamine receptor as a mediator of isolation-induced social reactivity.

Stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity by benzazepine D-1 dopamine agonists with varying efficacies in the 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rat--relationship to circling behaviour

The ability of benzazepine D-1 dopamine agonists with varying efficacies in stimulating adenylate cyclase and to induce contralateral circling was investigated in rats with unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine lesions of the medial forebrain bundle. In the 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rats, the benzazepines SKF 38393 (7,8-dihydroxy-1-phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-1H-3-benzazepine), SKF 75670 (3-CH3 analogue), SKF 80723 (6-Br analogue), SKF 83959 (6-Cl, 3-CH3, 3'-CH3 analogue), SKF 83565 (6-Cl, 3-CH3, 3'-Cl analogue) and SKF 82958 (6-Cl, 3-C3H5 analogue), all produced contralateral circling. The rank order of efficacies (maximal effect, Emax) being, SKF 83565 = SKF 75670 = SKF 83959 = SKF 80723 > SKF 38393 >> SKF 82958. In striatal slices from the intact hemisphere, dopamine, SKF 82958, SKF 80723 and SKF 75670 stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. The rank order of efficacies being SKF 82958 (109%) = dopamine (100%) = SKF 80723 (98%) > SKF 75670 (72%). Although, SKF 38393 (67%), SKF 83565 (64%) and SKF 83959 (59%) tended to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity, this effect did not reach statistical significance. In the 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned hemisphere, basal levels of adenylate cyclase activity were lower (-25%) than in the intact hemisphere. The maximal stimulation of adenylate cyclase activity (expressed as % basal levels) produced by dopamine and the benzazepines in the denervated striatum was greater than observed in the intact striatum. The rank order of efficacies in the dopamine denervated striatum being SKF 82958 (124%) > SKF 80723 (109%) = dopamine (100%) > SKF 38393 (82%) = SKF 83959 (77%) = SKF 83565 (70%) > SKF 75670 (55%). Moreover, dopamine stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in the denervated striatum with greater potency than in the intact side. The ability of the benzazepine derivatives to induce circling in the 6-hydroxydopamine lesioned rat is consistent with the general increase in the efficacies of dopamine and benzazepine stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in the dopamine denervated striatum. However, the maximal effects for inducing circling and stimulating adenylate cyclase activity do not correspond (e.g. SKF 82958 and SKF 75670). This discrepancy may reflect the involvement of other factors including a behavioural role for extrastriatal D-1 dopamine receptors and/or transduction systems other than adenylate cyclase.

"Full" dopamine D1 agonists in human caudate: biochemical properties and therapeutic implications

Recent data indicate that full D1 dopamine agonists have greater antiparkinsonian effects in the MPTP primate model than do partial agonists, suggesting that the intrinsic activity of D1 agonists may affect their utility in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. It is unclear, however, whether human D1 receptors in situ are similar to D1 receptors in other species or in molecular expression systems. For this reason, the binding affinity and functional activity of a series of D1 dopamine receptor agonists [dihydrexidine (DHX), SKF82958, and A68930] were determined in postmortem human caudate. Results from in vitro binding studies with membranes from human caudate indicate that these D1 agonists competed for [3H]SCH23390 labeled sites with a rank order similar to that found in rat striatum [K50 = 36.8 nM (DHX); 18.6 nM (SKF82958); 3.9 nM (A68930)]. The ability of these compounds and the partial agonist SKF38393 to stimulate the enzyme adenylyl cyclase in tissue homogenates of human caudate was also examined. DHX and A68930 are full agonists compared to dopamine, whereas SKF82958 and SKF38393 are partial agonists. These differences in biochemical intrinsic activity are consistent with the profound antiparkinsonian effects caused by DHX, but not by SKF82958 and SKF38393, in the MPTP-monkey model. This suggests that DHX and A68930 may be of greater utility in treating disorders where a full efficacy D1 agonist may be required.

Dopamine D1 receptors: efficacy of full (dihydrexidine) vs. partial (SKF38393) agonists in primates vs. rodents

Although partial efficacy dopamine D1 receptor agonists have little therapeutic benefit in parkinsonism, the first high potency, full efficacy dopamine D1 receptor agonist dihydrexidine recently has been shown to have profound antiparkinsonian effects. One reason for the greater antiparkinsonian effects of dihydrexidine vs. SKF38393 might be that SKF38393, while a partial dopamine D1 receptor agonist in rodent striatal preparations, has virtually no agonist activity in monkey striatum (Pifl et al., 1991, Eur. J. Pharmacol. 202, 273). To explore this hypothesis, we compared the dopamine D1 receptor affinity and efficacy of dihydrexidine and SKF38393 in striatum from rat and monkey. In vitro binding studies using membranes from putamen of adult rhesus monkeys demonstrated that dihydrexidine competed for dopamine D1 receptors (labeled with [3H]SCH23390) with high potency (IC50 = 20 nM vs. ca. 10 nM in rat brain). SKF38393 was about 4-fold less potent than dihydrexidine in both monkey and rat brain. The in vitro functional activity of these drugs was assessed by their ability to stimulate adenylate cyclase activity in tissue homogenates. Dihydrexidine was of full efficacy (relative to dopamine) in stimulating cAMP synthesis in both monkey and rat. SKF38393 was only a partial efficacy agonist in both rat striatum and monkey putamen, but contrary to the original hypothesis, it had the same efficacy (ca. 40% relative to dihydrexidine) in membranes from both species. Interestingly, greater between-subject variation was found in the stimulation produced by SKF38393 in primate compared to rat brain, although the basis for this variation is unclear.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Relationship between kappa 1 opioid receptor binding and inhibition of adenylyl cyclase in guinea pig brain membranes

Previously, we showed that kappa-selective ligands inhibit adenylyl cyclase in guinea pig cerebellar membranes. The present studies explore the relationship between kappa 1 binding sites (as determined with [3H]U-69,593 binding) and kappa 1-inhibition of adenylyl cyclase (using U-50,488H) in guinea pig brain membranes. Various kappa opioids displaced [3H]U-69,593 binding at a single site with subnanomolar affinities. These agonists were several hundred-fold weaker in inhibiting adenylyl cyclase, but for most agonists the rank order of adenylyl cyclase inhibition paralleled the displacement of kappa 1 binding. The correlation of IC50 values for both adenylyl cyclase and binding was significant except for alpha-neo endorphin, which was relatively weak at inhibiting adenylyl cyclase despite a Ki value of 0.08 nM versus kappa 1 binding. Comparison between kappa 1 binding and kappa 1-inhibited adenylyl cyclase across eleven guinea pig brain regions revealed that kappa 1-inhibited adenylyl cyclase was highest in the cerebellum, absent in thalamus and superior colliculus, and moderate in other regions. In most regions, kappa 1 binding correlated with the efficacy of kappa 1-inhibited adenylyl cyclase. However, the hippocampus had high levels of kappa 1-inhibited adenylyl cyclase despite low levels of kappa 1 binding, while cortex exhibited a high density of kappa 1 sites but a relatively low level of kappa 1-inhibited adenylyl cyclase. Reaction of cerebellar kappa receptors with beta-chlornaltrexamine (beta-CNA) blocked both kappa 1 binding and kappa 1-inhibited adenylyl cyclase. The effect of beta-CNA on kappa 1-inhibited adenylyl cyclase was to inhibit efficacy with little decrease in agonist potency, thus suggesting no significant level of kappa receptor reserve for this effector system.

Sensitization of Dopamine-Stimulated Adenylyl Cyclase in the Striatum of 1-Methyl-4-Phenyl-1,2,3,6-Tetrahydropyridine-Treated Rhesus Monkeys and Patients with Idiopathic Parkinson's Disease

Dopamine-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity was measured in striatal homogenates of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated rhesus monkeys and humans with idiopathic Parkinson's disease and compared with the activity in control tissue. No differences between parkinsonian and control tissue were found in the presence of 20 mM NaCl. However, when 120 mM NaCl was included in the assay medium, a significantly higher increase in the Vmax of dopamine-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity was observed in the caudate of MPTP-parkinsonian rhesus monkeys and the putamen of patients with idiopathic Parkinson's disease. No such sensitization was seen in the MPTP-treated rhesus putamen or human Parkinson's disease caudate tissue. A role of D2 receptors in this sensitization could be ruled out by the concomitant use of the D2 antagonist l-sulpiride and by [3H]spiperone saturation analysis of the D2 receptor density, which was found at control level in the caudate tissue of MPTP-treated rhesus monkeys. Similarly, on the basis of saturation binding with the D1 selective ligand 125I-SCH 23982, there was no difference in caudate nucleus D1 receptor densities between control and MPTP-treated monkeys. Our results point to a region-specific functional sensitization of D1 receptors as a consequence of severe dopaminergic denervation of the striatum and suggest the possibility of a therapeutic potential of a D1 agonist with full intrinsic activity in Parkinson's disease.

Functional sensitization of striatal dopamine D1 receptors in the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat

Dopamine-stimulated adenylyl cyclase activity was measured in striatal homogenates of rats in which the nigrostriatal pathway was lesioned by 6-hydroxydopamine 20-24 months before the experiments. In the intact (contralateral) striatum the potency and the efficacy of dopamine in stimulating adenylyl cyclase was lower in the presence of high NaCl concentrations (120 mM) compared with the effects of dopamine in an NaCl-poor assay medium (20 mM). The same effect of NaCl was observed in the striatum on the side of a weak, behaviourally ineffective 6-hydroxydopamine lesion resulting in a loss of 57% of striatal dopamine. This effect of NaCl was absent in the strongly denervated striatum, i.e. in rats having a 99.8% dopamine loss and rotating when challenged with a low dose of apomorphine. Thus, in denervated vs intact striatum, in the presence of a physiological concentration of NaCl, dopamine-stimulated adenylyl cyclase showed a sensitization which was absent in assays with 20 mM NaCl. The inhibition of adenylyl cyclase by dopamine via D2 receptors, which was seen in the presence of 120 mM NaCl and the D1 antagonist SCH 23390, was not affected by denervation. We suggest that chronic dopaminergic denervation of the striatum results in a stabilized, i.e. NaCl-insensitive, high affinity state of D1 receptors. This may be the basis for a sensitization of the coupling mechanism of the denervated D1 receptors to adenylyl cyclase.

Lower efficacy of the dopamine D1 agonist, SKF 38393, to stimulate adenylyl cyclase activity in primate than in rodent striatum

The selective D1 agonist, SKF 38393, stimulated adenylyl cyclase by about 40% of basal activity in rat striatum but by only about 10% in the striatum of rhesus monkeys. In contrast, dopamine stimulated striatal adenylyl cyclase in both species with equal efficiency (70-80%). SKF 38393 30 microM inhibited the effect of 30 microM dopamine by about 45% in rat and by about 75% in primate tissue. This difference may be due to a lower D1 receptor reserve in primate than in rodent tissue and suggests that only selective D1 agonists with full efficacy at D1 receptors can be expected to have beneficial effects in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Guanine nucleotide binding proteins and the regulation of cyclic AMP synthesis in NS20Y neuroblastoma cells: role of D1 dopamine and muscarinic receptors

D1 dopamine receptors on NS20Y neuroblastoma cells stimulate adenylate cyclase activity, whereas muscarinic receptors on the same cells negatively regulate adenylate cyclase. To determine the mechanisms which underlie these processes, cyclic AMP accumulation was measured in intact cells following either cholera or pertussis toxin treatment. Pretreatment with pertussis toxin (100 ng/ml), which ribosylated greater than 95% of inhibitory quinine nucleotide binding protein (Gi), caused the complete loss of muscarinic induced inhibition. Conversely, pertussis toxin did not affect the ability of dihydrexidine (1 microM, a full efficacy D1 agonist), PGE1 (100 nM), or forskolin (1 microM, a direct activator) to stimulate cAMP accumulation. Both the dihydrexidine-induced stimulation and the carbachol-induced inhibition of cyclic AMP accumulation were unaffected by either removal of extracellular calcium, or increased intracellular calcium caused by the addition of the calcium ionophore A23187. Cholera toxin dose- and time-dependently induced large accumulations of cAMP. At low cholera toxin concentrations, the effects of dihydrexidine (300 nM) were additive with those of cholera toxin. At cholera toxin concentrations greater than 100 ng/ml, dihydrexidine became ineffective in stimulating further cAMP synthesis. Conversely, forskolin (1 microM) still caused marked increases in cAMP accumulation after all cholera toxin treatments. Dihydrexidine-stimulated cAMP accumulation was additive with forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation at low forskolin concentrations (10 nM-3 microM), but synergistic at high concentrations (3-100 microM). Additionally, forskolin was much more potent after cholera toxin treatment, suggesting that an activated stimulatory guanine nucleotide binding protein (Gs) may be required for full activation of adenylate cyclase by forskolin in this cell type.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Triadimefon, a triazole fungicide, induces stereotyped behavior and alters monoamine metabolism in rats

Triadimefon, a triazole fungicide, has been observed to increase locomotion and induce stereotyped behavior in rodents. The present experiments designed to characterize the stereotyped behavior induced by triadimefon used a computer-supported observational method, and tested the hypothesis that these observed effects involved central dopaminergic systems. Adult male and female Sprague-Dawley rats were injected with triadimefon (0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg) in corn oil (2 ml/kg ip) 4 hr prior to behavioral assessment. The two lowest doses of triadimefon increased the frequency of locomotion and rearing, while the highest dose induced highly stereotyped behaviors, including backward locomotion, circling, and head weaving. Immediately after behavioral testing, the rats were sacrificed, and the striata and olfactory tubercles, terminal fields of the nigrostriatal and mesolimbic dopamine systems, respectively, were removed. Steady-state concentrations of the monoamines dopamine and serotonin and their metabolites were determined by HPLC-EC. In independent experiments, the direct effects of triadimefon on dopamine (D1 and D2) receptor binding and dopamine-sensitive adenylate cyclase activity were assessed in vitro using rat striata. Dopamine concentrations were increased in olfactory tubercles, but decreased in striatum. Concentrations of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid (the major metabolite of serotonin) were increased only in striatum, and only in animals treated with 200 mg/kg triadimefon. In vitro, triadimefon neither competed with D1 or D2 dopaminergic radioligands nor affected dopamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity. Together these behavioral and biochemical data lend support to the hypothesis that triadimefon may have actions similar to those produced by indirect-acting dopamine agonists.

The biochemistry and pharmacology of mesoamygdaloid dopamine neurons

Populations of DA neurons innervating the component nuclei of the amygdaloid complex differ in their inferred density of innervation, estimated rate of impulse activity, and adaptive response to the prolonged administration of antipsychotic drugs. Mesoamygdaloid DA neurons have in common the absence of tonically inhibitory, nerve terminal autoreceptors regulating DA synthesis, the nonassociation with a DA-stimulated adenylate cyclase, and the regulation of DA synthesis by receptor-mediated neuronal feedback mechanisms and end-product inhibition. The output of the amygdaloid complex appears to be organized into distinct functions subserved by component nuclei. The present findings suggest a differing role for DA afferents in modulating the functional output of discrete nuclei. The significance of this focal influence will be speculative pending a more complete understanding of the physiology of DA neurotransmission in the amygdaloid complex. Populations of DA neurons innervating discrete amygdaloid nuclei exhibit a composite of mechanisms of regulation and signal transduction and pharmacology that differ from that of other mesotelencephalic DA systems. These comparisons highlight the fact that the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle do not represent or reflect DA neurotransmission in the limbic system. The study of the physiology, pharmacology, and pathology of mesolimbic DA neurons can and should extend beyond the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle to the amygdala and other brain structures central to the organization of the limbic system. It is our opinion that the term "mesolimbic" DA system has purely anatomical connotations and that a more specific terminology (e.g., meso-central amygdaloid nuclear) would express the functional organization of this system more accurately.

Responses of dopaminergic and serotonergic systems to triethyllead intoxication

Rats treated with triethyllead (TEL) exhibit a behavioral supersensitivity to challenge with dopamine agonists at 7 days following administration of TEL. In the present series of experiments, some neurochemical mechanisms which may affect this behavioral supersensitivity were detected. Administration of a single dose of TEL chloride (7.88 mg/kg, SC) to male Fischer-344 rats decreased the concentrations of dopamine in hippocampus, and of serotonin in olfactory tubercle, at Day 7 posttreatment. The ratio of 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid/5-hydroxytryptamine (one estimate of serotonin turnover) was increased in nucleus accumbens (p less than 0.05), with a similar trend in olfactory tubercle and striatum (p less than 0.10). No changes were detected in binding of [3H]spiperone to D2 dopamine receptors in striatum or olfactory tubercle. However, although basal adenylate cyclase activity was unaltered in TEL-treated rats, the Vmax for dopamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity was significantly elevated in olfactory tubercle. Conversely, TEL at micromolar concentrations markedly attenuated both basal and dopamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity in vitro in striatal homogenates. These data suggest the hypothesis that administration of TEL to rats results in an up-regulation of D1 dopamine receptors in olfactory tubercle, and that the behavioral supersensitivity of TEL-treated animals to dopamine agonists may, in part, be a result of this receptor supersensitivity.

Opiate-inhibited adenylate cyclase in rat brain membranes depleted of Gs-stimulated adenylate cyclase

Opiate agonists inhibit adenylate cyclase in brain membranes, but under normal conditions the maximal inhibition is small (10-15%). When rat brain membranes were preincubated at pH 4.5, washed, and then assayed for adenylate cyclase at pH 7.4, stimulation of activity by agents (fluoride, guanylyl-5'-imidodiphosphate, cholera toxin) that act through the stimulatory GTP-binding coupling protein (Gs) protein was lost. At the same time, inhibition of basal adenylate cyclase by opiate agonists was increased to a maximum of 30-40%. Opiate inhibition was maximal at low magnesium concentrations (less than 5 mM), required guanine nucleotides, and decreased the Vmax, not Km, of the enzyme. Incubation of membranes with pertussis toxin lowered the apparent affinity for agonists in inhibiting activity. The delta opioid agonists were more potent than mu agonists, and the Ke values for naloxone in blocking agonist inhibition were similar for both mu and delta agonists (50-90 nM). These results suggest that inhibition of adenylate cyclase in brain is not mediated by mu opiate receptors, but whether classic high-affinity delta and kappa receptors are involved with this enzyme cannot be confirmed by these experiments.

Glomeruli and microvessels of the rabbit kidney contain both A1- and A2-adenosine receptors

Rabbit renal cortices were fractionated by collagenase dispersion and glomeruli, microvessels and tubuli purified on a discontinuous sucrose gradient. Binding experiments with (-)[125I]N6-(4-hydroxyphenylisopropyl)-adenosine ([125I]HPIA) provided evidence for the presence of A1-adenosine receptors in the glomerular and microvascular fraction. With glomeruli, saturation isotherms for specific [125I]HPIA binding were mono-phasic with a KD of 1.3 nmol/l and a Bmax of 7.7 fmol/mg protein. In kinetic experiments, an association rate constant of 4.9 X 10(5) (mol/l-1 s-1 and a dissociation rate constant of 4.3 X 10(-4) s-1 were obtained, yielding a KD of 0.9 nmol/l. Adenosine analogs displaced [125I]HPIA binding with a rank order of potency typical of A1-adenosine receptors; furthermore, binding was inhibited by methylxanthines and modulated by GTP. Saturation experiments with the microvessels revealed a KD of 1.9 nmol/l and a Bmax of 13.4 fmol/mg protein. However, no inhibition of glomerular and microvascular adenylate cyclase activity could be demonstrated, but instead both 5'-N-ethylcarboxamido-adenosine (NECA) and N6-(R-phenylisopropyl)-adenosine (R-PIA) stimulated enzyme activity, with EC50 values of 0.14 mumol/l and 1.5 mumol/l, respectively. The concentration-response curve for NECA was shifted to the right (factor 9) by 10 mumol/l 8-phenyltheophylline. On the other hand, computer simulation of biphasic curves (adenylate cyclase inhibition in the presence of activation via a stimulatory receptor) indicates that the failure to observe an A1-adenosine receptor-mediated inhibition of adenylate cyclase activity in the presence of stimulatory adenosine receptors may be attributable to methodological constraints.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Noradrenaline modulates calcium channels in avian dorsal root ganglion cells through tight receptor-channel coupling

Averaged ensemble Ba currents were recorded from tissue cultured embryonic chick dorsal root ganglion (d.r.g.) cells using the cell-attached patch-clamp technique. Noradrenaline (NA) applied to extrapatch membrane had no clear consistent effect on drug-free patch currents. This finding supports a previous suggestion that second messengers may not be involved in NA-mediated decreases in Ca currents in sensory neurones (Forscher & Oxford, 1985). Cell-attached patch currents sometimes increased slowly after extrapatch application of NA, but were not reversibly decreased by drug treatment. Large patch currents were used to trigger cellular action potentials. NA reversibly decreased action potential duration as reflected in extracellularly recorded patch action currents. Simultaneously recorded inward patch currents were not affected. D.r.g. cell adenylate cyclase activity was assayed. NA did not affect intracellular cyclic AMP levels at concentrations which cause 30-70% decreases in gCa in dialysed cells (Forscher & Oxford, 1985). Treatment with forskolin (50 microM) or isoprenaline (10 microM) resulted in 60- and 2-fold increases respectively in adenylate cyclase activity over basal levels. These results suggest that NA decreases Ca currents by direct NA interactions with the Ca channel or a molecule tightly coupled to channel function in d.r.g. cells.

Cardiac ventricular beta 2-adrenoceptors in guinea-pigs and rats are localized on the coronary endothelium

In mammalian heart tissue beta 2-adrenoceptors are known to coexist with beta 1-adrenoceptors. In the present study, evidence that beta 2-adrenoceptors in guinea-pig and rat ventricles are primarily localized on the coronary endothelium is provided by competition binding studies with the subtype-selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonists ICI 89.406 (beta 1-selective) and ICI 118.551 (beta 2-selective) on four different plasma membrane preparations. (1) Following density gradient centrifugation of cardiac ventricular microsomes from rats or guinea-pigs, endothelial plasma membranes migrated at slightly higher density than the sarcolemmal membranes, as verified by endothelial (angiotensin converting enzyme) and sarcolemmal markers (adenylate cyclase, [3H]ouabain binding). At the activity peak of angiotensin converting enzyme, the relative amount of beta 2-adrenoceptors in guinea-pigs and rats was 25% and 65%, respectively. (2) On sarcolemmal membranes corresponding to the activity peak of adenylate cyclase, beta-adrenoceptors consisted of the beta 1-type exclusively (guinea-pig), or to at least 90% (rat). (3) Cultures of coronary endothelial cells derived from guinea-pigs revealed only beta 2-adrenoceptors. (4) Isolated guinea-pig cardiomyocytes contained only beta 1-adrenoceptors, a finding recently established in rat myocytes as well.

A high-performance liquid chromatography assay of brain adenylate cyclase using [3H]ATP as substrate

A sensitive, reproducible assay for adenylate cyclase is described which separates labeled cyclic AMP from ATP and other nucleotides by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) on reverse-phase columns. The technique utilizes [3H]ATP as substrate, and the principal compound contaminating the [3H]cyclic AMP peak, adenosine, is removed by incubation of assay tubes with small amounts of adenosine deaminase. The HPLC elution utilizes high resolution (3 microns) short (10 cm) C-18 columns for increased resolution and decreased flow rates. Since cyclic AMP elutes at 4 min following injection, this procedure can easily process large numbers of samples per day when combined with automated techniques of sample injection and collection.

Binding of [3H]SCH23390 in rat brain: regional distribution and effects of assay conditions and GTP suggest interactions at a D1-like dopamine receptor

The compound [9-3H]SCH23390 [R-(+)-8-chloro-2,3,4,5-tetrahydro-3-methyl-5-phenyl-1H-3-benzazepine-7- ol] was synthesized, and the binding of this purportedly selective antagonist of D1 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine (dopamine) receptors was characterized. The regional distribution of high-affinity, specific [3H]SCH23390 binding sites in the rat brain correlated well with levels of endogenous dopamine. Receptor densities were greatest in corpus striatum, nucleus accumbens, and olfactory tubercle; intermediate levels were found in several limbic and cortical areas, whereas few sites were detectable in cerebellum, brainstem, and ol-factory bulb. Specific binding in caudate-putamen was found to be both temperature- and pH-dependent, with optima at 25-30 degrees C and pH 7.8-8.0. Scatchard or Woolf analyses of binding in caudate-putamen suggest that most of the sites are either of a single class or of classes with similar characteristics (KD = 0.7 +/- 0.1 nM; Bmax = 347 +/- 35 fmol/mg of protein). Both dopamine and cis-flupenthixol altered the slope but not the intercept of lines generated by Scatchard analysis, suggesting a competitive mode of inhibition of [3H]SCH23390 binding. Competition for binding by dopamine or the D1 agonist SKF38393 was inhibited by guanine nucleotides, whereas GTP had little effect on the competition for binding by the antagonist cis-flupenthixol. The competition for [3H]SCH23390 binding sites by dopamine was much more sensitive to GTP than was competition for [3H]spiperone binding. These data support the hypotheses that [3H]SCH23390 binds to recognition sites that differ from those previously described using other radiolabeled dopamine antagonists and that these sites have the characteristics expected of dopamine receptors.

Dopamine inhibits forskolin- and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine-induced dark-adaptive retinomotor movements in isolated teleost retinas

We have been investigating the mechanisms of diurnal and circadian regulation of teleost retinomotor movements. In the retinas of lower vertebrates, photoreceptors and melanin pigment granules of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) undergo movements at dawn and dusk. These movements continue to occur at subjective dawn and dusk in animals maintained in constant darkness. Cone myoids contract at dawn and elongate at dusk; RPE pigment disperses into the epithelial cells' long apical processes at dawn and aggregates into the cell bodies at dusk. We report here that forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, and 3-isobutyl-1-methylxanthine (IBMX), a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, each induces dark-adaptive cone and RPE retinomotor movements in isolated light-adapted green sunfish retinas cultured in constant light. Forskolin induces a 22-fold elevation in retinal cyclic AMP content. Forskolin- and IBMX-induced movements are inhibited approximately 65% and 95%, respectively, by 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethylamine (dopamine). However, dopamine does not inhibit dark-adaptive movements induced by dibutyryl cyclic AMP. Epinephrine is much less effective than dopamine in inhibiting forskolin-induced movements, while phenylephrine and clonidine are totally ineffective. These results are consistent with our previous findings that treatments that increase intracellular cyclic AMP content promote dark-adaptive retinomotor movement. They further suggest that dopamine inhibits adenylate cyclase activity in photoreceptors and RPE cells and thereby favors light-adaptive retinomotor movements.

SCH23390 causes persistent antidopaminergic effects in vivo: evidence for longterm occupation of receptors

SCH23390 has neurochemical properties characteristic of a specific D1 dopamine receptor antagonist. However, it is a potent inhibitor of dopamine-mediated behaviors which previously had been thought to be linked to D2 receptors. The metabolism of SCH23390 following parenteral administration to rats was much more rapid in the periphery than in brain, and SCH23390 had behavioral effects long after its circulating concentration had declined below detectable levels. Furthermore, the stimulation of adenylate cyclase by dopamine was attenuated in striatal homogenates taken from rats treated with SCH23390 as much as twelve hours before sacrifice. Pretreatment with cis-flupenthixol, a compound with equivalent D1 potency in vitro, failed to inhibit dopamine-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity one or four hours following injection, despite the fact that this dose produced significant behavioral effects. These data indicate that SCH23390 may act with unusual tenacity at certain sites in the central nervous system.