Regulation of synaptic MAPK/ERK phosphorylation in the rat striatum and medial prefrontal cortex by dopamine and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors.

ABSTRACT: Dopamine and acetylcholine are two principal transmitters in the striatum and are usually balanced to modulate local neural activity and to maintain striatal homeostasis. This study investigates the role of dopamine and muscarinic acetylcholine receptors in the regulation of a central signaling protein, i.e., the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK). We focus on the synaptic pool of MAPKs because of the fact that these kinases reside in peripheral synaptic structures in addition to their somatic locations. We show that a systemic injection of dopamine D1 receptor (D1R) agonist SKF81297 enhances phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), a prototypic subclass of MAPKs, in the adult rat striatum. Similar results were observed in another dopamine-responsive region, t

SUBMITTER: Xue B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4545715 | biostudies-literature | 2015 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature