Differential subcellular distribution of rat brain dopamine receptors and subtype-specific redistribution induced by cocaine.

ABSTRACT: We investigated the subcellular distribution of dopamine D(1), D(2) and D(5) receptor subtypes in rat frontal cortex, and examined whether psychostimulant-induced elevation of synaptic dopamine could alter the receptor distribution. Differential detergent solubilization and density gradient centrifugation were used to separate various subcellular fractions, followed by semi-quantitative determination of the relative abundance of specific receptor proteins in each fraction. D(1) receptors were predominantly localized to detergent-resistant membranes, and a portion of these receptors also floated on sucrose gradients. These properties are characteristic of proteins found in lipid rafts and caveolae. D(2) receptors exhibited variable distribution between cytoplasmic, detergent-soluble and det

SUBMITTER: Voulalas PJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3055788 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature