• Toxicological Research
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.75-88
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• 1990

The characteristics of dopamine uptake, D-1 and D-2 receptors after acute and subacute cocaine administration were determind in striatum from WKY and SHR. Cocaine was administered either acutely (40 mg/kg, s.c.) or twice daily (20 mg/kg, s.c.) for 3 and 7 days in 9-wk old WKY and SHR. Rats were sacrificed 30 min, 2 or 24 h after the single injection and 18 h after the last administration to the subacutely treated group. The changes in dopamine uptake, dopamine uptake sites, D-1 and D-2 receptors were determined using $(^3H)$dopamine, $(^3H)$-GBR-12935, $(^3H)$SCH-23390 and $(^3H)$sulpiride, respectively. In acutely treated rats, significant increases in $V_{max}$of dopamine uptake were observed 30 min after the cocanine injection in both strains without changes in $K_m$ values. The in vitro $IC_{50}$for cocaine was significantly decreased 30 min in WKY and 2 h in SHR. However, that for in vitro GBR-12909 was significantly increased 30 min and 2 h in both strains. Also densities of $(^3H)$-GBR-12935 binding sites were significantly increased 30 min and 2 h without changes in their $K_d$. Significant increases in D-2 receptor density were observed 30 min, 2 or 24 h after acute injection in both strains without changes in their affinities. The density of D-1 receptor was significantly decreased 30 min after the injection in WKY, but not in SHR. In subacutely treated rats, a significant increase in $K_m$ of dopamine uptake was observed in 7-day treated SHR. The in vitro $IC_{50}$fot GBR-12909 was significantly increased in 3-day treated WKY. The density of D-1 receptors was significantly increased in 3- and 7-day treated WKY, but not in SHR. The affinity of both binding sites remained unchanged. The results suggest that cocanine administration alters dopamine uptake, characteristics of dopamine uptake sites and dopamine receptor binding characteristics in rat brain. Furthermore, D-1 and D-2 dopamine receptors appear to be differently regulated.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Applied Pharmacology
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• 1994.04a
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• pp.88-93
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• 1994

The mechanisms controlling the intensity and duration of synaptic transmission are numerous. Once an action potential reaches a nerve terminal, the stored neurotransmitters are released in a quantum fashion into the synaptic cleft. At that point neurotransmitters can act on post-synaptic receptors to elicit an action on the post-synaptic cell or net at so-called auto-receptors that are located on the presynaptic side and which often regulate the further release of the neutotransmitter. Whereas the action of the neurotransmitter receptors is regulated by desensitization phenomenon, the major mechanism by which the intensity and duration of neurotransmitter action is presumably regulated by either its degradation or its removal from the synaptic cleft. In the central nervous system, specialized proteins located in fe plasma membrane of presynaptic terminals function to rapidly remove neurotransmitters from the synaptic cleft in a sodium chloride-dependent fashion. These proteins have been referred to as uptake sites or neurotransmitter transporters. Once taken up by the plasma membrane transporters, neurotransmitters are repackaged into secretory vesicles by distinct transporters which depend on a proton gradient.