title: Comparison of the effects of the dopamine D2 agonist quinelorane on tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic neuronal activity in male and female rats.
abstract: The purpose of the present study was to examine the effects of quinelorane (LY163502), a potent and selective D2 dopaminergic (DA) receptor agonist, on the activity of tuberoinfundibular DA neurons in male and female rats as estimated by determining the concentration of the primary metabolite of dopamine, 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), in terminals of these neurons in the median eminence (ME). In males, quinelorane produced dose- and time-related increases in the concentration of DOPAC in the Me which was blocked by the D2 receptor antagonist raclopride. The activity of tuberoinfundibular neurons in female rats is higher than it is in males because circulating levels of prolactin tonically stimulate these neurons in the female. In female rats, quinelorane markedly lowered plasma concentrations of prolactin but failed to alter DOPAC concentrations in the ME. Pretreatment of female rats with prolactin antiserum induced hypoprolactinemia and reduced DOPAC concentrations in the ME; in these animals quinelorane increased ME DOPAC concentrations. These results indicate that by acting on D2 receptors quinelorane is able to stimulate tuberoinfundibular DA neurons in both male and female rats, but in female rats the ability of quinelorane to reduce circulating levels of prolactin indirectly reduces the activity of tuberoinfundibular DA neurons and thereby masks the stimulatory action of this drug on these neurons.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Eaton
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gopalan
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Lookingland
authors.forename: K E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Moore
mesh_terms: D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001058:Apomorphine / Q000494:pharmacology; D003342:Corpus Striatum / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D004298:Dopamine / Q000378:metabolism*; D015259:Dopamine Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D065127:Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists; D005260:Female; D007106:Immune Sera / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D008473:Median Eminence / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D009474:Neurons / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism*; D010902:Pituitary Gland / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D011388:Prolactin / Q000276:immunology / Q000502:physiology; D011804:Quinolines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D020891:Raclopride; D051381:Rats; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2 / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D012457:Salicylamides / Q000494:pharmacology; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D015259:Dopamine Agents; D065127:Dopamine D2 Receptor Antagonists; D007106:Immune Sera; D011804:Quinolines; D017448:Receptors, Dopamine D2; D012457:Salicylamides; D015102:3,4-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid; D020891:Raclopride; D011388:Prolactin; D001058:Apomorphine; D004298:Dopamine; C047726:quinelorane